MARE celebrates World Oceans Day with science for all ages

As part of the celebrations for World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8, MARE researchers organized activities in Cascais and Seixal, promoting ocean literacy among different audiences.

In Cascais, at the “There's sea in Cascais” event, researchers Raúl Oliveira, Francisco Louro and João Grave presented their work in the region, highlighting the species Centrolabrus exoletus (rock cod), a cleaner fish characteristic of our coast. Participants also had the chance to see marine invertebrates magnified and learn about the techniques used to capture these organisms and record interactions between fish underwater. The activity welcomed between 20 and 30 visitors of various ages.

In Seixal, MARE was part of the Seixal Green Market program with the activity “The Sea with MARE: Discover, Learn and Act”. Here, the public was able to explore marine biodiversity through magnifying glasses, take part in games such as the Tides Quiz, and reflect on conscious food choices in the sustainable fish consumption game. This action was led by researchers João Paulo Medeiros, Maria João Correia and José Lino Costa, and involved dozens of participants of all ages.

These initiatives reinforce MARE's commitment to disseminating science and promoting sustainable behavior, bringing science closer to society and contributing to the protection of the ocean that belongs to everyone.

Text by Vera Sequeira