It’s been a funny old year but that’s not stopping the Wildlife Trust celebrating everything in and under the sea for National Marine Week 2020. And it isn’t even a week at all. Running from July 25th until August 9, National Marine Week will take place over 15 days to accommodate all the UK’s different tides. The UK’s marine life plays an important role in our health and it supports multiple industries. The seas help provide the oxygen we’re breathing as well as aiding in agriculture and flood management, so they’re much more than just a place to paddle in on a balmy bank holiday weekend. How is Marine Week Being Celebrated? COVID-19 means that things will be a little different this year, but there’s still plenty to do. Some activities are even taking place face-to-face with the help of social distancing and Government guidelines. You can find out more information about events happening during National Marine Week on the Wildlife Trust’s website. We like the look of the Seawatch happening at the Glitterball in Blackpool where you might just have the chance to spot dolphins, porpoises, and other wildlife. It’s free but due to social distancing requirements, you’ll need to book. If you’re near Lytham St Annes, there’s an eggcase hunt on August 6th. Eggcases are also known as mermaid purses and are shark, skate, and ray egg cases. Again, the event is free but you’ll need to register that you’re attending ahead of time. How you can celebrate National Marine Week 2020 The Wildlife Trust is calling on people to become citizen scientists which is a great excuse to get out near the water over the coming weeks (social distancing and safety allowing). They’re asking people to report back to them on the marine life that’s being spotted and of particular interest is the Pacific oyster (who sounds a long way from home), slipper limpet, and oarweed, amongst others. If you’re not able to get to the sea, then you could sign a petition calling on the Government to grant protected marine areas so that our seas can continue to harbour an abundance of marine life for many more years to come. National Marine Week is also an excuse to educate yourself about all the different species found in the UK’s waters. The more we know about the animal and plant life in our seas, the better we'll be at helping to protect them. There’s a lot you can do outside of Marine week, too, that can help to have a positive impact on the seas around the UK and the world. You can commit to reducing the amount of single-use plastic that you use. You should also make sure you’re regularly recycling and reusing, too, to stop excessive plastic heading to landfills. You should learn about what should and shouldn’t go down the sink. This includes certain cosmetic products and cleaning products which can be harmful to wildlife. You could arrange a litter pick along a stretch of coastline to keep local areas tidy. It doesn’t even need to be a coastline. Plastic that ends up in rivers is often then deposited into the sea becoming a threat to marine and birdlife. You could organise a clean-up along a local riverbank and help prevent waste ending up in the oceans. Choosing to eat fish and seafood that has been caught sustainably can send a big message to producers and helps reward a better way of fishing. Reducing your carbon footprint and energy consumption is key not only to supporting marine life but for the future of our species, too.Within 30 years, the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free. It won’t just have a devastating effect on wildlife in the region but it’s that ice that also helps reflect the sun’s radiation back into space helping to moderate the world’s temperature. The world will become a lot warmer with it.Reducing your carbon footprint is one of the most important things that you can do. If you’re a business, then working to become more sustainable can also help make your company more productive and even more profitable. National Marine Week is worth celebrating because the seas are connected to how we thrive as a nation: it provides food, jobs, flood management, tourist opportunities, and, of course, the memories we make when we visit and explore the gorgeous UK coastline. We hope that you find a way to celebrate National Marine Week but that you also find a way to play your part in protecting the UK’s amazing marine life throughout the rest of the year, too.