DURBAN - Durban's beaches buzzed with volunteers this past weekend, all hands on deck for a massive clean-up in honour of World Oceans Day.
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This local initiative mirrors a global call to action, as ocean advocacy groups simultaneously gathered on the French Riviera in Nice for the third United Nations Ocean Conference, where they are calling for stronger protections for marine environments.
Ocean temperatures are rising, mammals are competing with fishermen for food, and mining threatens the homes of deep-sea creatures.
Maryke Musson, a renowned conservationist and marine scientist, said that World Ocean Day is about celebrating the interconnectedness and life on Earth while also promoting sustainable ocean use and marine conservation.