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18,000 pieces of plastic are estimated to float in every square kilometre of ocean. 276 species worldwide including 77 Australian species are impacted by marine debris. |
Tangaroa Blue Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation focused on the health of our marine environment, and coordinates the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, an on-ground network of volunteers, communities, organisations and agencies around the country monitoring the impacts of marine debris along their stretch of coastline. In Maori and Polynesian mythology, Tangaroa is one of the great gods, the god of the ocean. He is the son of Ranginui and Papatuanuku, Sky and Earth. Tangaroa is the father of many sea creatures and his breaths are the tides. Tangaroa made laws to protect the ocean and its sea creatures "Tiaki mai i ahau, maku ano koe e tiaki"... If you look after me, then I will look after you..." The organisation was named Tangaroa Blue Foundation to highlight the importance of protecting our oceans and creating programs and resources to help communities look after their local coastal environment. |
Tangaroa Blue Foundation will be joining 69 other awesome organisations and volunteers who are finalists in 9 diverse categories of the 2014 National Landcare Awards.
Winning the WA Landcare Award for the Coastcare Category last year meant that we join other state Coastcare winners for the national award to be announced in Melbourne in September.
And you can be part of the voting - The 2014 People's Choice Award is now open! To vote for Tangaroa Blue Foundation just visit The National Landcare Awards and nominiate us in the Coastcare Category.
Thanks for your support!
The wild, windy and remote site of Captain Billy's Landing has just seen a dedicated team of volunteers from Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Apudthama Land & Sea Rangers, QPWS Rangers and Cape York NRM conduct a beach clean-up along 7km of Cape York's windswept coastline.
As part of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, volunteers not only removed 2.46 tonnes of marine debris, but also documented each of the 24,773 pieces of rubbish for inclusion in the Australian Marine Debris Database. The most common items included 2428 thongs, 2221 plastic drink bottles, 9536 bits of broken down bits of plastic, 1907 plastic lids, 618m of rope and 518 bleach bottles. A significant amount of the debris had international origins, and over 80% of items made of plastic.
The Great Barrier Reef Photo and Video competition for the 2014 Cairns Underwater Film Festival is now open for entries with a massive prize pool worth over $70,000.
This year we have a new video category and will be raising money for local marine charities: the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation, the Minke Whale Project and the Tangaroa Blue Foundation.
The competition is running over the next three months leading up to the festival, with entries for the film competition closing on the 12th July, whilst the photo competition closes on the 23rd July. Festival organisers are now calling on local underwater photographers and filmmakers to get their entries ready.
The Brisbane Waters Foreshore Program (Clean4shore) headed back to Kincumber and Pelican Creeks mid-June and with the help of the men from The Glen removed another 1050kg from the river!
The Glen met Clean4shore team at the Pony Club at 9am and after an event briefing and handing out PPE gear, the group moved down the hill to the oyster piles.
There was a brief interruption as the boys found a red belly black snake 2 metres long, caught in an oyster mesh tray. Delicately one of the team, cut and removed the snake, setting it free in the bush.
The Australian Marine Debris Initiative is a way that everyone can become involved in both the removal of marine debris and finding solutions to stop the flow of rubbish into our oceans.
Check out what has been found by volunteers on beaches around Australia!
Since 2004 Tangaroa Blue volunteers and partners have been hard at work cleaning our beaches!
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Phone:0410 166 684 Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
Postal Address:PO Box 757 PO Box 1176 |