The origins of World Oceans Day trace back to June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, which hosted the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) – also known as the Earth Summit. An unprecedented 178 governments were on hand to adopt Agenda 21, a global partnership for sustainable development that included a focus on the oceans.

Oceans Day was declared as 8 June 1992 by Global Forum, an UNCED parallel event which provided an opportunity for NGOs to express their views on environmental issues.

The Declaration was inspired by an event organized on that day by the Oceans Institute of Canada and supported by the Canadian Government: “OCEANS DAY AT GLOBAL FORUM – THE BLUE PLANET”. The programme[1] featured international experts, opinion leaders and those in a position to speak for the oceans’ contributions to sustaining the Blue Planet.

Its stated aims were to:

• CONFIRM the central role of oceans in sustainable development;
• STRENGTHEN the voice of our oceans;
• FORGE global partnerships to strengthen the management and health of our oceans;
• ACTIVATE Agenda 21/Oceans;
• RALLY Consensus for future action.

A pivotal outcome of Oceans Day, described in the report[2], was a “Call for Commitment”[3] for moving Agenda 21/Oceans forward. It included declaration of an annual Oceans Day, dedicated to directing global attention to the oceans and monitoring post-UNCED progress.

The programme included a second day, 9 June, to allow NGOs an opportunity to identify their oceans priorities. Participants echoed the call for an annual Oceans Day.

The organizers of the first Oceans Day, increasingly joined by committed oceans stakeholders worldwide, continued the momentum in following years to promote its global celebration. In 2008, led by Canada, the United Nations General Assembly resolved that 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day”.

Since then, World Oceans Day has served as a catalyst for action worldwide, in line with the original stated aims. In 2017, celebrations will be held at the United Nations Ocean Conference,[4] which describes it as a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future.

The UN offers to serve as a central coordinating platform for World Oceans Day, with “free resources and ideas for everyone – no matter where you live – to help expand the reach and impact of World Oceans Day on June 8 and year-round”. The UN designated the overall theme for World Oceans Day 2017 as Our Oceans, Our Future.

Many challenges remain to ensure the health of the oceans – and the fisheries resources. Apart from broader issues such as competing uses and the ongoing need for ecosystem approaches to management, IUU fishing remains a serious threat to our livelihoods, nutrition and the sustainability of the resources. It is also linked with transnational criminal activity.

We are all working together to overcome the challenges, and Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) has made progress in strengthening capacity, facilitation, empowerment and support for on-going and new initiatives. World Oceans Day affords us all an opportunity to take stock and set new goals for the next year.

Stop Illegal Fishing encourages everyone to take action and celebrate World Oceans Day on 8 June; doing so will spread the word and encourage commitment to eradicate IUU fishing and support positive change. Communicate with stakeholders, educators, policymakers and government, organize media events, work to declare World Oceans Day in your village or country, make a list of goals and resolutions for the year ahead. Let us know how you think stopping illegal fishing helps the oceans? Let us know how you celebrate!

by Judith Swan

[1] Oceans Day 1992 Programme

[2] Oceans Day 1992 report.

[3] World Ocean Day: the original Call for Commitment.

[4] https://oceanconference.un.org/programme