Kevin Laird
Victoria News
The oil spill earlier this month of at least 2,800 litres of bunker fuel in Vancouver’s English Bay was small and localized, but it brought in focus the importance of B.C.’s marine environment, says a local environmental advocate.
Valerie Mucciarelli of the World Fisheries Trust, an Esquimalt-based environmental education organization which delivers programs locally and internationally, said it’s the reason why special events like World Oceans Day are so important.
World Oceans Day is celebrated at Gorge Waterway Nature House at Esquimalt Gorge Park on June 6.
“[World Oceans Day] is quite relevant and timely with the recent spill in Vancouver,” Mucciarelli said.
“We want to share what people in Victoria can do to keep our environment and oceans clean.”
The trust has celebrated World Oceans Day for the last five years, but it’s the first time in two years it is returning to Esquimalt Gorge Park. World Oceans Day also marks the seventh anniversary of the Gorge Waterway Nature House, which opened in 2008.
During this year’s World Oceans Day event, the World Fisheries Trust team will provide educational activities and programs that highlight how residents can assist in keeping local watersheds and oceans clean.
World Fisheries Trust will be joined by other ocean-oriented organizations such as the Fish Eye Project and Orca Spirit. Among the activities for this year’s event are interpretive walks, an interactive 3D model of the Gorge Waterway, marine animal touch tank, crafts, children’s activities and musical entertainment.
World Oceans Day is held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 6 at Esquimalt Gorge Park. For more information, please call the World Fisheries Trust at 250-380-7585.