19.06.2018 – Plastics – The European Parliament was questioned.

Today we saw on both trips Short-Finned Pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). These type of Pilot whales prefer warmer waters and they are found between 50th degree north latitude and 40th degree south latitude. During our morning trip we had in addition a pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). During our first contact, the animals were wide spreaded but on our way back we had a close encounter. On the afternoon trip we had a great sighting with Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis).

How I promised our guests from today, I will talk about another subject as well. On Tuesday, 19th of June at 15h (CET) Parliament Vice-President Mrs. Heidi Hautalaand Commission Vice-President Mr. Jyrki Katainen will be interviewed about this Plastic problem.

Europe generates yearly 25 million tonnes of plastic. Plastic, entering the ocean has a very negative effect on this habitat and its inhabitants. If you experience and admire the ocean, marine mammals and the watery nature every day it hurts to know what a morbid and often deadly influence our human impact has on marine inhabitants.

Since the general public was invited to ask questions … indeed there were four questions from us:

When are biodegradable bottles going to be obligatory?

When are Edible Sixpack holdersgoing to be obligatory?

When so-called Sea bin (filter systems) are going to be obligatory for all european harbors?

Why is the program “Fishing for litter” not obligatory yet?

For more information please check following links:

https://www.craftbeer.com/editors-picks/saltwater-brewery-creates-edible-six-pack-rings

http://seabinproject.com/the-product/

http://www.fishingforlitter.org.uk/https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/04/this-biodegradable-water-bottle-breaks-down-when-it-s-empty/

Well, I listend to the interview and was super DISAPPOINTED!

One sequence made the message clear which I got from this interview. “The consumer has to reduce, the responsibility lays by the consumer… the consumer, the consumer … ideas have to come from private persons and the politicians will follow! STOP! What‘s about all the great inventions already made and which are not supported due the fact the politicians have NO interest in these ideas? Without any doubt, the consumer has responsibility to keep his ecological food print as small as possible. But for what reason is a Parliament useful, if the responibility of the politicians is dropped under the table?

If you are interested to listen to the interview:

https://www.facebook.com/europeanparliament/videos/10160758202195107/

by Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

09:00 Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins

13:30 Pilot whales, Common dolphins