A recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world's fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline, because of factors such as the loss of essential fish habitats, pollution and global warming. World Fisheries Day plays an important role in bringing awareness to our communities in order for them to be reminded of the importance of protecting the aquatic environment as a habitat for our fish resources. This year, Bukanindalo NPC and BCC Youth Ambassadors once again demonstrate their commitment to cleaning up the environment and removing plastics litter from the Vuku Wetland and neighbourhoods. Bukanindalo NPC aspired to make an impact with their contribution against the negative impact through waste management on the environment and ocean.

Facts on fisheries:

• Small-scale fisheries (marine and inland) employ about 90% of those involved in fisheries.
  
  
• 65% of the reported catch from inland fisheries is from low-income food-deficit countries.
  
  
• Estimates vary, but from around 30 million to over 60 million people in the developing world are involved in inland fisheries; it is thought that about 50% are women.
  
  
• More than 25% of the world's dietary protein is provided by fish.
  
  
• The human population consumes over 100 million tons of fish annually.
  
  
• Over 200 million of Africa's 1 billion people regularly consume fish and nearly
  half of this comes from inlands fisheries.

Annually, on the third Saturday of September, volunteers around the world take part in the world's biggest coastal clean-up – the International Coastal Clean-Up Day (ICCD). The ICCD initiative remains the largest global volunteer environmental data-gathering effort and clean-up event of coastal areas to date. Clean-up and Recycle South Africa Week takes place from Monday to Friday prior to the ICCD, with various clean-ups being planned for neighbourhoods, water sources and beaches around the country. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment's (DFFE) Expanded Public Works Programmes, (EPWP) such as, Working for the Coast, Working for Water and Working for Wetlands play a crucial role in ensuring that rivers, wetlands, and beaches are kept clean and in good health.

Various sessions were held via Zoom, arranged by Fransina Shihepo and Tembisa Sineke of the BCC coordinating entity. It took place from 9:30 to 17.30 with a lunch break midway through the process. Three of the Ambassadors were present and hosting in Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha, the fourth remotely. The sessions were divided into several presentations and speakers. On average, 15-20 audience members were present per session. Each presentation occurred over an average 10-20 minutes, with 3-5 average questions received by the audience. Following the event, recordings were made available on LinkedIn and https://www.blueeconomyfuture.org.za (Youth Ambassador Jack Dyer's website) and made a significant impact, with over 750 views and downloads.

World Ocean Day (WOD) is celebrated annually on 8 June and has a history spanning over two decades. It was initially proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since then, WOD has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network with global participation. It was officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008 and is observed, since 2009, by all member states, including South Africa. WOD 2021 was celebrated by the world under the theme "The ocean: life and livelihoods."

The Department of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries (Communication Directorate, Research Directorate and Monitoring Directorate), and Benguela Current Convention (Youth Ambassador & Swartkops Project Secretariat) hosted Solomon Mahlangu High School on the virtual classroom on-board the Ocean Explorer in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).

At 16h00 hour, we then connected to the OceanX Virtual Classroom with Zoleka Filander and two other South African schools, namely Gansbaai Academia and STS Lawhill Maritime Center, and the rest of the learners following on YouTube around the world. Ms. Filander started by welcoming the learners, and she continued by sharing the information in the equipment she is using on-board the ship to do her science work. She explained to the learner and further involved the engineer who was working on the machine. She then moved inside her working space where they control the machine and explained the processes to the students. Whilst she was still in her station, she dwelled on her career and her research work in details. As she did outside the ship, she involved the members of the team who control the benthic equipment.

The students engaged very well with Zoleka and our program director, asking various questions on Marine Science as a career, showing interest in Marine studies, and partaking in Marine related discussions. The school teacher and principal shared their gratitude for the program and showed interest in participating in any environment or marine related events that BCC Youth Ambassadors and The Department of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries will host in the near future.

Global and local climate change also threatens the future of South Africa and the BCC's marine ecosystem resources. Regional climate change related trends already observed include an increase in sea surface temperature across the Benguela system, sea level rise in most parts of the system and a decrease in the winds that drive upwelling off Namibia in recent years, but a longer-term increase in those winds off the South African south coast. In particular the current very low biomasses of sardine, a key target species in both Namibia and South Africa, have forced the industries in those two countries to explore and begin to implement quite drastic adaptation options. Climate-related changes in wind, upwelling, sea surface temperature, productivity, oxygen levels, storm frequency, precipitation, freshwater flow and runoff patterns, may all have impacts on estuaries, inshore and offshore ecosystems. These changes are likely to affect resource and habitat diversity, resource abundance, fish behaviour and physiology, resource catchability, fish size and fishing opportunities and success, which in turn will affect commercial and subsistence fishing livelihoods and recreational fisheries and their associated industries.