World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day

There is nothing more pleasurable than going to a beach and refreshing yourself in its waters. Swimming in the open sea is an experience as unique as it is reviving, since the waves seem to wash away your stress and overloads your life with energy. Yes, the ocean can be healing in its many ways. But vacationing in them is just a small pleasure for the real importance of this aquatic space.

Since 2019, every June 8 the World Oceans Day is celebrated, designated by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which commemorates the importance of the extensions of water as a source of life, habitat for countless species and a means of subsistence for the human race and other beings that inhabit the Planet Earth.

Puerto Ingles Cove in Ilo, Moquegua. Credit: Raul Garcia / PromPerú.

Why are the oceans so important to mankind? Historically, it has been a source of food for the cultures that inhabited the ancient world. In addition, the oceans produce about 70% of the planet’s oxygen, 70% of which is covered by the five oceans we know.

The largest and deepest ocean on the planet is the Pacific Ocean, which is located off the coast of the Peruvian coasts, having Lima, the capital of Peru, as the only capital of South America with access to the Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, the Peruvian Sea is one of the richest seas in the world, thanks to upwelling. It is estimated that around 8% of the fishing landings correspond to Peru, being constituted mainly by the anchovy fishery. It is also home to an amazing biodiversity, with more than a thousand species of fish, particularly in the northern region of Peru where the warm waters of the north meet the cold waters of the southern continent.

 

Tuquillo Beach, Ancash. Credit: Sebastián Castañeda / PromPerú.

Oceans, source of life

The oceans contain 96% of all the water on the planet. The rest comes from rivers, lakes and ice, which is considered fresh water. They also absorb a large amount of the CO2 produced by industry. Thus, they reduce the impact of the greenhouse effect on the climate as a result of the production of this gas, which makes it one of the protectors of the ozone layer and the planet, maintaining and stabilizing the temperature.

Whale watching in Los Organos, Piura. Credit: Ernesto Benavides / PromPerú.

It is for this reason that we seek to raise awareness about the importance of our oceans. The objective is to celebrate this day to protect, conserve and preserve these aquatic spaces, as well as to build and innovate with new proposals to keep in balance the health of the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Credit: Yayo López / PROMPERÚ