The ocean around us

Sri Lanka, being an island, is surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The lives of our people are very much linked to the ocean, and apart from rare occasions like the December 26, 2004 tsunami, the ocean has been very much our friend.

Oceans comprise 70 per cent of our planet and account for 97 per cent of water on the planet. Eighty per cent of all life on Earth is found under the ocean surface, and life in the sea developed over three billion years ago, whereas land-dwellers appeared only over 400 million years ago.

It also contains the largest biological structure on Earth - the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The underwater coral reefs support over 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral and a large number of plants and animals. Every natural element on Earth is found in the ocean.

From the food we eat to the air we breathe, the ocean plays a part in our lives, whether we live on the coast or inland.

Seafood accounts for the largest percentage of humans' protein consumption, with over 83 million metric tonnes of seafood being consumed each year. The ocean is a source of energy, a medium of transportation and also provides us with a variety of medicines, minerals and natural resources, the weather system, climate and rainfall. It has also been the inspiration for a countless number of art and science projects.

Just as our lives are affected by the ocean, our everyday actions too have an effect on the ocean.

Excessive fishing, pollution, treating the ocean as a garbage dump, destroying of habitat, interrupting the reproductive capacity of oceans and taking the oceans for granted are some such human actions.

Did you know that there is a special day to celebrate this mighty ocean, which is so much a part of our lives? Yes, June 8 is World Ocean Day and most countries celebrate this occasion on or around this day. This will be the 14th year in which it's observed.

The World Ocean Day (WOD) was conceived in 1992 during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It gives an opportunity to recognise the importance of the underwater world.

The main objective is to create awareness about the ocean and the life in it, how our actions affect it and how we are all inter-connected. Through such awareness, the organisers hope that people will want to conserve the ocean for present and future generations.

The WOD, though not yet officially recognised by the United Nations, is celebrated by many aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organisations, schools and businesses. The celebrations are spearheaded by the Ocean Project and World Ocean Network, which are also working to make it a UN-designated day.