Family Traveler

WelcometoourveryspecialOCEANSissue,puttogetherinconjunctionwithWWFtohighlighttheplightofourbeautifulseas.Howoftenhastheoceanbeenthefocusofyourpreciousfamilyholiday,beitanauticalcottagewithaview,anexpansivebeachorgettingoutonthesaltywaves?Welookathowwecanholidayresponsiblybyandontheoceanandwhatwecanactivelydotohelp,notleastbysupportingWorldOceansDay(worldoceansday.org)on 8 June.Togetyourchildreninvolved,I’mhappytosaywehaveourveryfirstkids’section(p 49 ),withlotsofgreatcompetitions,includingayoungtravelwriters’projecttowintwofamilyholidaystoIbiza.Goodluck,andIhopeyouenjoyourfirstcampaigningissue.9editor’sletterJaneAnderson,EditorPHOTOGRAPHS:JANEANDERSONJOININ!Wecanalldoourbittoprotectouroceans,saysLouise``````TreatyourselvestoaFa mily Travellersubscription.Sixcopiesforjust£17.80(saving25%).SubscribeonlineatFAMILYTRAVELLER.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONSusingthecodeMAYJUN16atthecheckoutWORLDOCEANSDAY 8 JUNE 2016 WORLDOCEANSDAY.ORGAWARD-WINNINGFAMILY TRAVELLERMAGAZINE- BestFirst-timeCruiseFeature,CLIAUK&IrelandCruiseJournalismAwards 201 6:SandraandBarryDent,KeepingIt InTheFamily•BestFamilyFeature, TheFrenchTravelMediaAwards 20 16:EmmaForrest,Not JustFor TheRich& Famous•BestCityFeature,HollandPressAwards 2016 :DavidAtkinson, GoingDutch•BestPhotographicTravelFeature,VisitUSAMediaAwards 2015 :AbiCampbell,CaliforniaDreaming‘Ouroceansareamazing–butwe’lllosetheirrichesifwedon’tactnow,’saysLouiseHeaps,MarineChiefAdviserforWWF-UK``````‘Plungingtodepthsofover11kmandoccupyingover70%ofEarth’ssurface,ouroceanshavethehighestbiodiversityofanypartoftheplanet.Aswellasbeinghometoavastarrayofastoundingwildlifeandhabitats,fromthebiggestmammalontheplanet,thebluewhale,tothetinyPygmyseahorse,theyalsoprovideawealthofresources.Fisheriesaloneprovideimportantsourcesofincomeandproteinforbillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld.Andsince80%oftourismiscoastal,and60%oftheglobalpopulationlivewithin100kmofthecoast,it’snotsurprisingthatweallfeelconnectedtotheoceansinsomeway.‘I’vehadtheopportunitytoseefirst-handhowreliantcoastalcommunitiesinthedevelopingworldareonmarineresourcesandcoastalhabitats.Coralreefs,inparticular,arenotonlyhometo25%ofallfishspecies,theyalsosupportthefoodsupplyandlivelihoodsofmillionsofpeople,andprotectthemfromtheravagesofstormsurges.Butouroceanshavebeenvastlyover-exploitedandmismanaged.Overfishing,habitatdamage,pollutionandclimatechangearealltakingtheirtoll.Smallerfishonourplates,pollutedbeachesandpermanentlydamagedcoralreefsarebecomingalltoocommon.``````‘Protecting10-30%ofouroceanswouldgivemarinehabitatsandspeciesthechancetorecover.Thislevelofprotectioncouldprovideeconomicbenefitsofupto£650billionoverthenext 35 years.Butdespiteglobalcommitmentstoprotect10%ofouroceansby 2020 ,wearewayoffthemark.Urgentattentionisneededtoconserve,manageandproperlyvalueouroceans.Ifgovernmentsandtheprivatesectorwouldtakesomeimportantstepstoday,theoceanscouldcontinuetoprovideforuslongintothefuture.‘Byreducing,reusingandrecyclingplasticsand,whereavailable,optingforsustainablycaughtMarineStewardshipCouncil(MSC)certifiedfish,youcanplayyourpart.YoucanalsosupportusinpushingforbettermanagementofourseasandincallingfortheestablishmentofafullnetworkofMarineConservationZoneswherehumanactivityisrestricted.‘IhopeyouenjoythisspecialOCEANSeditionofFamilyTravellermagazine.Thereissomuchtoseeandexperience,butyoudon’tevenneedtohoponaplanetocomefacetofacewithfantasticmarinewildlife.ThegreatthingabouttheUKisthatthereisanaturalaquariumnotveryfarfromanyofus.’