The Mediterranean Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, but too few people know that. The Lebanese public tends to think of the Mediterranean as a barren sea, while it is teeming with life. Diaries of the Ocean believes that when people come face-to-face with that life, they will be encouraged to protect it. The sheer number of people who use and depend on the ocean, and the practices we adopt, have created problems such as exploitation of resources, reduction in biodiversity, and degradation of marine habitats and species, among others. We risk the very ecosystem on which our survival depends.

In Lebanon, we have more than 80 species of fish of commercial importance. That is a very high number for such a small country. But irresponsible practices are placing a lot of pressure on these resources and it is everyones duty to do their part to conserve our biodiversity. Because the sea provides us not only with food, but with oxygen, climate and weather regulation, and many resources. So, it is in humanitys best interest to maintain a healthy sea.

From here, we saw that the best opportunity for a healthier sea is to start with the youth, who are more responsive to learning and adopting responsible and sustainable practices. If they learn about the riches of marine biodiversity, the challenges this biodiversity is facing because of our activities, and all the ways they can help reduce the impact of said activities, we know that they will bring about the change that is so badly needed.

Of course, we recognize the need to create alternatives for subsistence of the fisheries sector on more levels than just the students, which is why we at Diaries of the Ocean are working in parallel with the fishermen, with fish restaurants and with lobbying with officials at the government level to adopt the necessary measures for safeguarding our fisheries resources.