Merlin Entertainments, the Sea Life Trust, and Merlin’s global Sea Life aquariums are teaming up on a new initiative to expand marine conservation projects across the world.
To support the programme, Merlin and the Sea Life Trust have created a new conservation board to focus on saving endangered species and protecting marine environments.
Through the initiative, teams at Sea Life aquariums around the world will deliver projects designed to make a positive impact on conservation in their local communities.
Graham McGrath, managing director of the Sea Life Trust, said the charity “has marine conservation at its heart, and my ambition is for our charity to continue to raise even more funds to drive impactful conservation projects and programmes around the world as time goes on”.
Sea Life Trust’s mission, he added, is to “protect the world’s oceans and the amazing, diverse marine life that lives within them”.
As part of the programme, seven projects managed by Sea Life teams have received funding to cover conservation issues in Asia, Australia, the US and Europe.
The commissioned projects include a breeding programme for endangered zebra sharks at Sea Life Sydney in Australia, and coral reef restoration with the team at Sea Life Bangkok in Thailand.
These two projects are the first of seven to be established in their locations, with the remaining projects to be announced later this year.
“It’s a privilege to be supporting Merlin’s passionate teams around the world in championing change for good as they undertake a range of inspiring and impactful conservation work; from reducing plastic in our oceans to sustainable fishing, to ending over-exploitation of aquatic life and the destruction of natural habitats,” McGrath said.
Sea Life aquarium projects
“Our world’s climate is driven by its oceans, and we are taking action to help Earth stay beautiful for future generations.”
Chris Brown, chair of Merlin’s conservation board and head of marine programmes and education for Sea Life UK, added: “We are incredibly proud to support impactful conservation programs that make a real difference to aquatic wildlife and their habitats.
“Our dedicated teams actively participate in conservation projects around the world. From funding turtle conservation research, to releasing zebra sharks into the wild, to rescuing the endangered native British crayfish, our aspiration is to protect and restore the underwater world for future generations.”
