Aloha Friends of SOS,
Save Our Seas (SOS) is honoring international "Ocean Day" on Saturday, June 10 by holding a forum entitled SUSTAINABILITY OF UNIQUE MARINE RESOURCES at Anini Reef on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii's second largest reef after Kaneohe Bay. Kauai's Mayor, Maryanne Kusaka, and Hawaii's Governor, Ben Cayetano, have issued proclamations declaring June 10th Ocean Day. The purpose of the forum is to educate the community about ways that we can all improve and maintain a healthy environment in our reefs.
School-age children are invited to meet at Anini Park Pavilion 7 to 9am (low tide) on June 10, for reef education and a discussion of reefs as a valued resource for the future. The emphasis is on understanding eco-systems and means for increasing their sustainability for following generations.
From 10 am to noon at the Pavilion, SOS is offering a forum directed by marine life experts, for interested adults. During this time a discussion about the Anini coral reef will be held. Following are the subjects to be covered: comparison of Anini reef today and its condition 15 years ago; causes that have affected this reef's status; and ways that community members and visitor's can help improve the present condition of Anini reef. Please bring your kids and lunch. RSVP
Ocean Day was first declared at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. Its objectives are to raise public awareness about the importance of the planet's oceans in our lives: educate students, citizens and key decision makers about managing human activities related to the oceans, and how each person can make a difference; promote oceans "caretaker" activities, including projects, research and cultural and educational events; strengthen existing ocean networks, databases and information exchange; promote law and policy development through oceans education.
Let's all of us practice being friendly to our ocean on June 10th - and everyday! Appropriate projects to honor Ocean Day in your community are appreciated and will help all of us achieve the missions of SOS and the UN. Tell your friends and other community members about Ocean Day so that it will become a universally recognized holiday.
SOS is coordinating an International Clean Ocean Conference in June 1996 to celebrate Ocean Day. The conference will be held in Hawaii and is in the formative stages. Please let us know if you are interested in helping in some way, or if you have suggestions.
Thank you for your interest and participation!
Carl Stepath, Executive Director * Marika Freedman, Newsletter Editor