5.23 World Turtle Day
World Turtle Day is celebrated on May 23 every year to raise awareness of the need to protect sea turtles and their habitats. The day is dedicated to Archie Carr, founder of Sea Turtle Conservation, a chelonologist and conservationist who worked to protect sea turtles and their habitats. On this day, events and outreach are often held to help raise public awareness of sea turtles and the efforts needed to protect them.
Here are some ways people can protect sea turtles:
- Reduce plastic use: Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to sea turtles. By reducing your plastic use, such as using reusable bags, bottles, and containers, you can help reduce the amount of plastic that enters the ocean and harms sea turtles.
- Support conservation organizations: There are many organizations dedicated to protecting sea turtles and their habitats. By supporting these organizations through donations or volunteering, you can help fund research, conservation efforts, and educational programs.
- Reduce beach pollution: Beach pollution harms sea turtles and their habitats. You can help reduce beach pollution by properly disposing of trash, participating in beach cleanups, and avoiding products that contain harmful chemicals.
- Respect their habitat: Sea turtles rely on specific habitats for reproduction and foraging. By respecting their habitat, such as avoiding disturbing nesting sites and not littering their habitat, you can help protect them from harm.
- Follow responsible tourism practices: If you are visiting a sea turtle colony, make sure to follow responsible tourism practices. This includes not touching or feeding the turtles, avoiding the use of bright lights on the beach at night during the nesting season, and supporting tour operators with responsible turtle viewing practices.
(Mother-of - pearl crafts by Fukui Shinju - longevity turtle decoration)
6.8 World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day is a festival calling for the protection of oceans and marine life, and pearls are a precious gem in the ocean and a treasure with historical and cultural value.
Pearls are formed by the secretion of substances in shellfish, so the composition and characteristics of pearls are different from other gemstones. In the past, pearls were considered a symbol of royalty and nobility, but now they have become a precious ornament that is loved and sought after by people all over the world.
However, the production of pearls also brings some problems to the marine ecological environment. For example, over-collection of pearl oysters and improper breeding methods may have an impact on local marine life and ecosystems, so sustainable pearl breeding and management are needed.
Protecting the ocean and marine life is one of the themes of World Oceans Day. Therefore, in the pearl production process, we should also pay attention to respecting the natural ecological environment, adopting sustainable breeding methods, and maintaining the balance of marine ecology and the health of the environment.
Sam Mun Tsai in Tai Po is one of our main pearl farming areas in Hong Kong. Akoya pearls are white, grey or pale yellow pearls produced from the Pinctada martensii oyster and are one of the most common varieties of pearls cultured in Japan.
We have been engaged in pearl farming for nearly three decades. Farmers use sustainable methods to cultivate pearls in the sea, thereby maintaining ecological balance and maintaining the health of the marine ecosystem.
Cultivating Akoya pearls requires a lot of time and effort, including inserting the nucleus, growing it gradually, cleaning it and harvesting it. When the pearl oysters are mature, the pearl farmers will carefully remove the pearls, a process that requires skill and experience to avoid damaging the pearls.
Pearl farmers not only focus on the quality and yield of pearls, but also pay attention to respecting nature and protecting the local environment and ecosystem. Therefore, our pearl farming is a sustainable industry and provides employment opportunities and economic benefits for the pearl industry.
(The author is on a fishing raft)