The reality is that fish are first and foremost wildlife. Marine animals and their habitats have never been afforded the same protection as the terrestrial environment. That has to change. We will not accept that seventy-one percent of our planet is left to the stewardship of organisations that profit from its destruction.
Blue Planet Society was conceived in 2001 to harness the growing power of social media as a tool for ocean activism, which at the time was a new concept in environmental campaigning.
Over the last 20 years, our organisation has remained a self-funded volunteer pressure group campaigning to end the overexploitation of the world’s ocean. We have always punched well above our weight and shone a light on both the visible and hidden dangers that threaten our blue planet.
Ecosystem collapse
Today, we face the very real risk of a complete global ecosystem collapse. Wildlife is treated as a commodity, habitats destroyed with no legal ramifications, ecosystems eroded to the point of failure and populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish suffering an average two-thirds decline since 1970.
Our leaders consistently delay action and pay lip service to the problem, kicking the impending catastrophe down the road.
This situation cannot continue and in the absence of nation-state action and proportionate societal changes, the unthinkable is now firmly on the horizon. We must adapt to face this emergency because more of the same is not an option.
Effective activism
In the face of these stark realities, Blue Planet Society is evolving its approach to focus on what we are calling ‘effective activism.’
Effective activism delivers maximum results for minimum use of Earth’s resources. This highly ethical approach to campaigning uses powerful ideas to drive social change on a global scale.
We rely on highly-skilled volunteers. We do not have a head office or a fleet of ships and vehicles or expensive capital equipment. We upcycle, recycle, reuse and repurpose at every opportunity. We pledge to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Every penny we spend leads to a tangible increase in awareness of the issues facing the marine environment. We will never compromise our deeply held beliefs about what it will take to save the ocean. Protection of marine life will be behind our every action.
In practical terms, this means Blue Planet Society measures each action against three key metrics
- will the action achieve results?
- is the action ethical?
- is the action sustainable?
We remain committed to working with the community of like-minded marine activists spread across the world and linked by the social web. Our 300,000 followers and 1.5 million supporters bring significant weight to any issue we choose to champion.
But we will go further, by encouraging and educating the next generation of effective activists to develop their own independent frictionless campaigning, characterised by egoless goals, urgency and a passionate commitment to the ocean.
Our mission is to empower activism, partner with our peers and encourage action on a global scale to drive real and tangible change.
Clarion call
We call on all those with a passion for the sea to join us. Let us help you to make a difference.
Writers, researchers, scientists, activists, conservationists, journalists, students, those that make a living from or live by the sea, in fact, anyone with an interest in the ocean, you have a role. Let Blue Planet Society help to empower you.
By acting as an incubator, as well as an effective activist movement, we will continue to campaign on key marine issues that will have a pivotal impact on the future of the ocean.
We will not shrink from highlighting unpopular subjects or any other issue that reveals the true state of our ocean. Only rapid and radical social, corporate and governmental behavioural change will alter our current course.
The success of these solutions must be measured against the collapse of the ocean, not the impact on business, GDP or the ocean’s worst enemy – the fishing industry.
Blue Planet Society will continue to campaign against, lobby and if necessary confront those who would destroy the ocean.
We hope you’ll join us today.
