The World Oceans Day 2020

Innovation for a sustainable Ocean: Topic of the year
If you’re a diver, snorkeler or just love being at the beach we invite you to comment on your experiences
and share your thoughts on this emotive issue for your chance to win one of the three fabulous prizes on offer.

See the thoughts of Thomas Van Puymbroeck below, one of our ambitious underwater photography visionaries, who is very passionate about this subject.


Conservation versus consumption… that’s the question

Worldwide our oceans and their inhabitants are currently under enormous pressure. Human population is growing and so is our need for food.
Historically only 100 years ago there were plenty of fish in our oceans, but now it’s getting critical for some species. For example: each year 100 million sharks are hunted and killed, mostly for their fins. If we want a sustainable ocean full of fish, we need those sharks because everything is linked together in the food chain of life. If you skim from the top of the food pyramid - the sharks - everything below will simply collapse.
But there is hope: more and more people are starting to realize the benefits of a healthy ocean: numerous approved sanctuaries are growing to preserve nature’s delicate equilibrium.


Thomas Van Puymbroeck • PEN E-PL1 • M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-5.6 • PT-EP01 

If you protect a certain area of the ocean through a sanctuary it allows the fish to thrive, breed and explore the wider ocean, often returning to the safety of the sanctuary to breed again. Only after allowing a couple of generations to breed uninterrupted should we be allowed to fish again, otherwise we run the risk of overfishing with the very real danger of whole species becoming extinc.


This is what is happening now in certain sanctuaries with the shark population. Having protected a section of reef the whole eco system is getting a second chance, with smaller fish returning and attracting even smaller macro life. Once this begins it can expand to other reefs and underwater life will start to thrive again. This all stems from the observation of sharks at the top of the food chain.


Thomas Van Puymbroeck • OM-D E-M1 Mark II • M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO • PT-EP14

With the ecological systems all being interlinked, by protecting the oceans we humans benefit alongside the sub marine life. Former fishermen change professions to become wildlife protectors defending the seas against poachers and ensuring divers and tourists understand the rules of the ocean and gain maximum enjoyment from the waters they explore.

Thomas Van Puymbroeck • OM-D E-M1 Mark II • M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO • PT-EP14


Now that the success of these sanctuaries is growing, divers and underwater photographers are willing to pay large fees for access to visit the ever increasingly beautiful wildlife. It is therefore vitally important that we ensure the funds continue to be used to regenerate the great conservation work being undertaken. This way everybody wins, from the local communities to the amazing underwater world that we enjoy as divers or just from admiring the fabulous photography we can appreciate here.

By supporting the conservation work in the sanctuaries this way I am sure that our ocean eco system will thrive and we can sustain the fishing industry too.


Author and Photographer: Thomas Van Puymbroeck

What is your experience with the Ocean?

To mark this very special day, we invite you to participate in this year’s raffle
celebrating our glorious oceans.

  • First prize is the Olympus Tough TG-6 Snorkeling Photography Kit.
  • Second prize is our great Tough Adventure Pack.
  • Third prize is the super practical TankH2O drink bottle.

What to do:
If you are not signed up yet as a MyOlympus user, quickly click here, register and refresh your browser or click here after signing up. If you are already a MyOlympus user, log in here.

Take a moment to think about your own experiences with the ocean.

Share with us your most memorable moment using your Olympus Tough (or any other Olympus cameras) on the beach, from a boat or underwater and simply give this article a like and comment under this blogpost before June 22, 2020 --> raffle is closed !

Please view our Terms & Conditions

Comments

  • Making pictures of breeding african pinguins with my TG-5 was very exiting
  • Wir waren im März 2019 auf den Malediven und haben eine Tagestour gebucht,in der Hoffnung Walhaie in freier Wildbahn zu sehen.Wir hatten unwahrscheinliches Glück,drei an der Zahl waren es und wir konnten sogar mit ihnen schwimmen! Ein Erlebnis, das wir nicht vergessen werden!
  • No doubt. The best moment was when I begin to shot underwater with my EM5 and the 8-19 m.zuiko. Coming from my old compact camera with limited wide shooting and light gathering really was a big change. TG-5 will be the perfect companion to shot underwater macro or to reduce a bulky equipment for traveling light and be capable of shot in any occasion and environment.
  • Shooting underwater my first freediving experiences underwater and my little daughter playing on the beach with one camera without any worries was just perfect. Thank you Olympus and TG6. :)
  • Wunderschöne Fotos. Ich habe in Thailand bei meinem 3, Tauchgang für 2 Sek einen Walhai gesehen. Leider hatte ich damals nur keine Kamera. Die Tiere würde ich unheimlich gerne mal länger beobachten und fotografieren! Tolle Tiere
  • The versatility and smart features (like the 'mysets') of my E-PL5 enable me to focus on the underwater scenes I'm trying to capture and leave me enough 'thinking space' to ensure I'm diving safely (for me and the environment!). No other company commits so much to us divers and I'm very glad that Olympus makes such great kit for us to use to bring the wonders of the ocean into view, even (especially!) here in the temperate UK.
  • TG-860 CAMERA - Amazing holiday in Thailand celebrating my birthday. I went on a ocean canoeing, snorkelling trip with friends and took amazing video/ photos of underwater caves, sea life, wildlife, making and capturing memories using the camera that will last my whole life.
  • Als ich von einem südlichen Glattwal "geknutscht" wurde.
  • My best underwater moment was a long time ago, before I ever had a camera. I was snorkeling just off the beach in my hometown, Rijeka, when all off a sudden something big almost brushed against me. I was scared to death, and rushed to the surface, but it was just a dolphin. I suppose he just wanted to play, but I needed sometime to get calm :) These days, unfortunately, dolphins are rarity in these waters...
  • My favourite was snorkeling with sharks in Thailand! I would love to have the underwater camera with me at that time. ;)
  • Im a EM5 Mk1 & Mk2 user, but lacking a underwater housing so i havent had the chance to shot underwater wildlife yet. The closest experience is a cayack trip in the fresh waters of Femund Norway where we went down a timber slope. Love the Em-5 series!
  • snorkeling with my wife in Samoa during the world trip. Filming and taking photos of a variety of fishes and shells.
  • Das Meer gewinnt immer.
  • my best experience swiming with my tg-4 between turtles in Sri Lanka

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