ocean wise #oceanwise · breakup to bottom trawling. ocean wise and its initiatives, including...
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OUR VISION IS A WORLD IN WHICH OCEANS ARE HEALTHY AND FLOURISHING
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ocean.org
#OceanWiseOcean Wise®
Ocean Wise is a global ocean conservation organization focused on protecting and restoring our world’s oceans. Grown from the roots of Vancouver Aquarium, which started as a community-based not-for-profit organization, Ocean Wise inspires people in every corner of the planet to participate in creating healthy oceans. Explore with us at Ocean.org.
OUR VISIONOur vision is a world in which oceans are healthy and flourishing.
OUR MISSIONOur mission is to inspire the global community to become Ocean Wise by increasing its understanding, wonder and appreciation for our oceans.
OUR PROMISEThrough science-based storytelling across our global platforms, we inspire action to conserve our oceans.
Based in Vancouver, Canada, Ocean Wise is composed of four key areas:
AQUARIUM MANAGEMENT — Connecting people directly to ocean stories about aquatic life in Vancouver, Valencia, and potentially other centres around the globe. The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre in Vancouver is the only one of its kind in Canada, and rescues and rehabilitates more than 150 animals each year.
EDUCATION — Driven by the preeminent teaching and learning foundations, delivered both in person and through digital channels, including the award-winning AquaVan mobile aquarium program and youth and curriculum programs.
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ENGAGEMENT — Connecting with even more people to foster interest, awareness and a commitment to change, delivered in partnership with local organizations across Canada and around the globe. Joining forces with funders, sponsors, partners and others who share in a vision of healthy and flourishing oceans. Initiatives include the Canada-wide Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and the Ocean Wise seafood program.
RESEARCH — Providing a foundation of unbiased scientific knowledge through original research by the Coastal Ocean Research Institute, as well as curating and aggregating peer-reviewed research conducted by the scientific community worldwide.
The organization launched in June, 2017 along with a new, state-of-the-art digital storytelling hub: www.ocean.org. The platform features shareable multimedia content that engages ocean lovers of all ages. From videos to quizzes to long-form articles, ocean.org connects users to our oceans, why we need to protect them, and suggests ways to do it.
The purpose-driven storytelling includes profiles of ocean champions, who are inspiring people from around the globe and making a difference in ocean conservation. Alongside these profiles, visitors will find recipes, how-to videos, as well as explainer videos and episodes covering a variety of issues from plastic breakup to bottom trawling.
Ocean Wise and its initiatives, including Vancouver Aquarium, connect with millions of people each year both digitally and in person. That groundswell of support continues to grow with the launch of ocean.org and, through these touchpoints, Ocean Wise is leading a sea change in ocean conservation.
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#VanAquaVancouver Aquarium Galleries and Animals: 50,000+ Reasons to Visit Step into the Vancouver Aquarium, an Ocean Wise initiative, and experience nearly 135,000 square feet of engaging and educational exhibits. The 50,000+ animals that call the Aquarium home can be found in a wide variety of different natural habitats ranging from the Arctic to the Amazon.
TECK CONNECTIONS AND ENGAGEMENT GALLERIESVancouver Aquarium’s grand arrival space and connecting ‘hub’ welcomes visitors with an impressive 360-degree overhead projection of our aquatic world. In the centre hangs an upside-down, 4.2 m diameter globe, with the Arctic at the bottom, serving as a visual reminder of the rapid changes taking place in that region of the world. As the starting and ending points to a series of journeys through the Aquarium, this gallery includes aquatic life from the Red Sea, Lake Malawi in Africa, and the local waters of British Columbia.
Below the globe, two spiral staircases lead down to the Teck Engagement Galley. This presentation area provides a perfect space for up-close programs like ‘Meet a Snake’ and ‘Meet a Penguin’ as well as fun family programs and educational features highlighting our conservation and research initiatives.
Vancouver Aquarium has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the Canada Green Building Council in 2016 for this, the newest building, as well as in 2008 for the Aquaquest building, making it the world’s first aquarium or zoo to receive this international mark for sustainable design.
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DISCOVER RAYS GALLERYThe Teck Engagement Gallery is the entryway to our changing exhibits space, currently the Discover Rays Gallery and home to charming cownose and southern stingrays. Here you can roll up your sleeves and have a unique, hands-on encounter with these gentle fishes as they ‘fly’ beneath the water’s surface while you learn about their unique characteristics and the challenges they face in the wild.
CANADA’S ARCTIC Our gallery shows how Canada’s Arctic is vast, diverse, and in flux due to climate change; the land, animals, and people of this fascinating region all have unique stories to tell. See Arctic cod, sea stars, sea urchins, and soft corals while learning how our actions affect this amazing region.
PACIFIC CANADA PAVILION
The Pacific Canada Pavilion features a 69,000-gallon exhibit highlighting marine life from the Strait of Georgia. Aquarium visitors can come face-to-face with an underwater habitat filled with an intricate web of plant and animal life. Divers mingle with schooling herring, Chinook salmon, halibut, crab, kelp, sea stars, California sea cucumbers, and crimson sea anemone amidst many more Pacific coast creatures.
TREASURES OF THE B.C. COAST
Explore the vast, colourful diversity of life found in the underwater world of British Columbia. Find iconic animals such as salmon, rockfish, and a giant Pacific octopus as well as stunning cold-water corals and anemones. Be amazed while discovering how these awe-inspiring exhibits are connected to geographical locations in our own backyard of the Pacific Ocean, and along the coast of our beautiful province.
FROGS FOREVER?
Amphibians survived the disaster that wiped out dinosaurs — but they may be in trouble again. Learn more at the spectacular Frogs Forever? exhibit which uses sound technology and stunning colour to show the plight of the world’s frogs which are rapidly disappearing from the wild. In addition to the colourful frogs from different continents, like the red-eyed tree frog and false tomato frog, discover other small and scaly, cold-blooded creatures including cane toads, tiger salamanders, Hong Kong warty newts, and Rio Cauca caecilians.
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THE WILD COAST Visit this outdoor gallery to view and connect with marine mammals found off Canada’s Pacific coast, including the gregarious rescued and rehabilitated sea otters Tanu, Katmai, Mak, Kunik, Rialto, and pup Hardy. Unique programs feature marine mammal trainers interacting with the animals during a feeding or training session as well as educating guests about the animals, the threats wild populations face, and how we can all help protect them.
STELLER’S BAYGet up close with Steller sea lions at Steller’s Bay, the Aquarium’s newest exhibit that spotlights these majestic and mysterious creatures. Transported to a fishing village on Canada’s west coast, you can watch sea lions basking brilliantly in the sun and hear them roaring in spectacular chorus. The spectacular new exhibit features an active research station, bringing behind-the-scenes research to the forefront and allowing visitors to deep dive into the critical role these animals play in conserving their counterparts in the wild.
PENGUIN POINTNo visit to the Aquarium is complete without a trip to Penguin Point where you will see African penguins waddle and swim. Learn about the plight these birds face and how your everyday decisions, like choosing sustainably harvested seafood, can help.
TROPIC ZONE Schoona the rescued sea turtle, blacktip reef sharks, and moray eels are just a few of the animals at home in the Vancouver Aquarium’s Tropic Zone. Tropical fish of all sizes, shapes, and colours abound in this gallery highlighting warm water creatures from all over the globe. See marbled whiptail catfish from Brazil’s Rio Negro, red lionfish from Caribbean reef caves, cross river puffers from West Africa, and more. Sleepovers alongside the shark habitat are also available for groups.
GRAHAM AMAZON GALLERYDiscover the giant fishes of the Amazon and scan the steamy rainforest jungle for snoozing sloths. This wondrous gallery is home to snakes, spiders, bats, monkeys, and lizards to name a few. Take a walk on the wild side as you watch giant anacondas, ferocious piranhas, and even teeth-baring crocodilians. For those not quite ready to face their fears, hyacinth macaws and scarlet ibises along with other tropical birds and lush plant life are sure to delight.
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CANACCORD FINANCIAL EXPLORATION GALLERY Explore the diversity of our world in this 5,000 square feet gallery featuring some of the most beguiling animals like wondrous jellies and colourful corals. Be amazed, engaged, and inspired as you discover Ocean Wise’s leading-edge research and conservation initiatives, including our endangered frog recovery programs as well as studies on killer whale populations, ocean plastics, larval fish, and other marine species.
CLOWNFISH COVE This popular play area for children is designed for kids eight and younger and gives families more opportunities to learn and play together. Dress up as your favourite aquatic animal or play doctor as you “nurse” a seal pup back to health in our new animal hospital.
4-D EXPERIENCE Immerse yourself in our 4-D experience in the Goldcorp 4-D Theatre, a cinematic adventure filled with thrilling sensory effects such as wind, mist, scents, and dramatic lighting. This is an exciting, one-of-a-kind experience filled with stunning visuals and unexpected sensory surprises.
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#OceanWiseEducation CURRICULUM PROGRAMSChildren and their teachers have been participating in Ocean Wise Curriculum Programs since 1956, and each year the programs engage more than 20,000 students. Ocean Wise Education is delivered with a fun, hands-on approach to create a memorable, personal experience for children and their teachers. This delivery, coupled with a focus on conservation, creates an opportunity for behaviour change — instilling a sense of stewardship for the environment.
All of our programs are developed to support the Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the B.C. provincial curriculum. Staff-facilitated school programs are 1-2 hours in length and are held in our galleries, on local beaches and in our behind-the-scenes classrooms, including our renowned Wet Lab learning facilities.
CHILDREN AND YOUTHThrough the Children and Youth Programs kids explore the intriguing world of marine mammals, fabulous fish, and other cool creatures through a diverse suite of educational programs. Programs include camps, clubs, sleepovers, birthday parties and youth leadership, and encourage a love of our natural world.
Participants are exposed to nature play, innovative science and research, art and hands-on experience; the content connects them to the Ocean Wise direct-action and research initiatives, such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
Activities vary depending on program, focus and ages and can include beach walks, gallery exploration, scavenger hunts, crafts and interactions with the Aquarium’s resident experts. The Aquarium’s two Wet Labs also afford the opportunity get up-close and interactive with live sea creatures, creating a tangible connection to the ocean life they can help conserve.
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PUBLIC PROGRAMSPublic Programs offers participants opportunities to further their knowledge and explore their curiosity of the ocean directly with ocean experts.
The keystone program is the Ocean Wise Aquatic Café, where conversations about the ocean take place. Participants watch a feature film or documentary and meet experts — biologists, photographers, filmmakers, explorers, athletes and chefs — to learn more about our ocean and relevant issues. Aquatic Café is hosted by aquariums, universities, science centres, and museums across the country.
The programs often include a digital component so people anywhere in the world can learn about our oceans and the research and conservation work being done to protect them.
ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT The Ocean Wise Online Learning Environment offers a digital platform on ocean issues for educators teaching elementary, middle and high school level students. At education.ocean.org, teachers will find a host of resources including videos, worksheets and quizzes that address common questions and test the students’ understanding of their impact on the ocean.
The unifying principles of Ocean Literacy are woven throughout all Education programs, including the Online Learning Environment, providing gateways and common ground for collaboration with the other global ocean conservation leaders. The seven principles are adapted for each education level, creating a continuous basis for the lessons that evolves and increasingly challenges the students’ understanding of the role of the ocean as they progress.
The platform aims to engage curious minds regardless of location, creating an opportunity for students and teachers across Canada and the world to connect on topics of ocean conservation.
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#MMRCMarine Mammal Rescue Centre Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, an Ocean Wise initiative, is a hospital for sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals. For almost 60 years, the Rescue Centre — a cornerstone of our commitment to aquatic conservation — has rescued and rehabilitated marine mammals found injured, ill, or abandoned.
More than 150 distressed marine mammals are admitted annually to the Rescue Centre, while other rescue efforts, such as disentanglements, take place in the field. Over the years, rescued animals have included harbour seals, Steller and California sea lions, fur seals, elephant seals, sea otters, orcas, dolphins, porpoises, a false killer whale and even sea turtles. Some have been threatened or endangered species; the loss of even one mammal in a severely depleted population can be a critical blow.
Our dedicated, multidisciplinary team of experts works tirelessly to ensure the health, survival and success of every animal we rescue and rehabilitate — the goal is always to return patients to the wild once healthy.
Among our success stories is that of Levi, a harbour porpoise found stranded on the shoreline of Saanich Inlet on March 26, 2013, and brought to the Rescue Centre as part of a collaborative rescue effort with Cetus Research and Conservation Society and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Too weak to swim on his own, Levi was placed in a specially-designed flotation sling and treated for injuries from stranding, as well as for a lung infection. On
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September 10, 2013, a fully recovered Levi was transported by boat back to Saanich Inlet, where veterinary staff released him back to his natural habitat, under the direction of head veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena and with support from DFO.
The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre program also raises public awareness about the proper response to an injured or stranded marine mammal, and educates the community about the importance of conservation, thus inspiring ocean stewardship. Scientific monitoring of the animals in our care allows us to develop the practical skills and knowledge to respond effectively to — and even mitigate — future environmental disasters involving marine mammals.
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#OceanWiseSeafoodOcean Wise® Seafood Program Overfishing is one of the biggest issues our oceans face today. The Ocean Wise seafood program works directly with restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers to ensure they have the most current scientific information regarding sustainable seafood and to help them make ocean-friendly buying decisions. The options are highlighted on their menus and display cases with the Ocean Wise symbol, making it easier for consumers to make ocean-friendly seafood choices.
With thousands of partners across Canada, the Ocean Wise seafood program helps ensure the health of our oceans for future generations.
OCEAN WISE CHOICES ARE SPECIES THAT ARE:1. Abundant and resilient to fishing pressure.
2. Managed as part of a comprehensive plan based on current research.
3. Harvested in ways that limit bycatch of other, possibly endangered species.
4. Harvested in ways that limit damage to ocean habitats.
HOW IS OCEAN WISE SEAFOOD RECOGNIZED?Look for this symbol – it’s our assurance that you are making the best choice to ensure the health of our oceans for generations to come.
Photo: Tracey Kusiewicz
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DID YOU KNOW?• The Ocean Wise seafood program works with thousands of partner locations
across Canada.
• Ocean Wise seafood partners include restaurants, retailers, suppliers, pet food, drink mixes, meal delivery kits, culinary schools, universities and sports & entertainment centres.
• Ocean Wise seafood program partners stretch across Canada from Victoria to St. John’s
• Ocean Wise seafood has offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Quebéc City and Halifax
The Ocean Wise seafood mobile app makes it easier than ever for consumers to make ocean-friendly choices. At the touch of your fingers, you can conveniently check which seafood options are Ocean Wise recommended and readily access a database and GPS-enabled map with all partner locations across Canada, including restaurants, markets and suppliers.
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#ShorelineCleanup
Every year, Canadians from coast to coast unite to clean up harmful litter from our shorelines. By doing so, we eliminate the debris that pollutes our waterways and negatively impacts animal and aquatic habitats.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, presented by Loblaw Companies Limited, and delivered in partnership with WWF-Canada, enables all of us to be active conservation leaders in our community. Everyone who registers to the program has access to resources, including all the supplies they need to clean up their chosen shoreline. The most important resource is the litter data card, which participants fill out and return after their cleanup. These data cards tell Ocean Wise what kind of debris is being collected from different parts of the country.
This national conservation program began in 1994 as a local Vancouver Aquarium staff event. The Shoreline Cleanup helps keep waterways clean across the country and is now among the top five coastal cleanups in the world. The data we collect is registered with the International Coastal Cleanup.
In 2016, more than 76,000 Canadians registered to take part and help keep Canada’s shorelines clean for all who use them. During 2016, almost 127,000 kg of litter were removed from 3,289 km of land bordering lakes, oceans, rivers and streams.
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup®
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FAST FACTS • 126,432 kg of litter is approximately equivalent to the weight of four adult
humpback whales.
• 3,289 km of litter would stretch around the coastline of Lake Ontario nearly three times.
• Over 90 per cent of shoreline litter collected during the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup originates from land and land-based sources.
• The top three items removed from shoreline cleanup sites in 2016 were cigarette butts, food wrappers and plastic bottles.
• Some of the more unusual items collected in the past include a kimono, a pogo stick, a disco ball and a wedding dress.
The removal of these items clears the way for animal, bird and plant species to reclaim their habitats. Since they can’t remove the litter on their own, we must do it for them. Year after year, the Shoreline Cleanup makes a significant difference.
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AquaVan: AQUATIC EDUCATION ON THE MOVE Oceans and aquatic environments are important, no matter where we live. All local streams end up at the ocean, much of the food we eat comes from the sea, and global weather is affected by our planet’s massive bodies of water. But many young people — especially those in remote or landlocked areas — have never visited the coast and do not understand their connection to the ocean.
The Ocean Wise AquaVan is a mobile aquarium and education program that helps youth, adults and whole communities experience the interconnectedness of our world.
The original AquaVan program, presented by B.C. Hydro, visits schools in B.C. and Alberta. In 2017, in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, the program went cross-Canada and visited nine provinces, thanks to generous support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
It’s the only marine biology–based education program that travels to schools and communities across Canada, making science accessible and fun for students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience aquatic animals first hand.
AquaVan is a 32-foot cube truck filled with live marine and freshwater animals from Pacific coastal waters, as well as simulated seashores, aquatic artifacts, props and pictures. Participants of all ages love the fun, engaging, hands-on activities, as they see, touch and smell marine science in action.
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The AquaVan program visits dozens of communities each year, and has made hundreds of thousands of connections since the program’s inception.
Through educational messages and science-based activities, young people experience the sea and its many wonders — often for the first time. AquaVan encourages people to develop an emotional relationship with animals and nature, and to respect and care for the natural world. This education outreach program teaches compelling conservation lessons that last long after the visit ends.
It is thanks to sponsors and generous donors that this program is made possible.
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