Diving personality, marine conservationist and broadcaster Monty Halls is the face and founder of a new citizen-science project designed to get more people involved in collecting data on marine health.
His Big Blue Bag initiative is based on four conservation protocols, with each bag containing everything needed to conduct four basic sampling procedures.
The protocols enable volunteers of all ages to collect information on microplastics pollution, species biodiversity, water temperature and coastal debris. The data is then uploaded to a global, open-access database through a specialised app called Coreo.
To fund the project Halls has formed a partnership with HX Foundation, the charity arm of global expedition cruise operator HX Expeditions. From this summer each of the five HX ships will carry a Big Blue Bag, allowing guests to participate in the project at its 250+ destinations, including the North and South Poles.
The HX Foundation, said to have donated than 1.68 million euros to conservation causes since it started in 2015, provided funding for the launch of the Big Blue Bag initiative with development of the Coreo app and production of 50 co-branded Big Blue Bags that are being given out free. The Isle of Man and RED Paddleboards are also sponsoring the project.
Easy-to-follow science
“This initiative is about inspiring and educating people, especially the younger generation, to become actively involved in tackling marine environmental issues,” says Halls.
“The Big Blue Bag offers practical and easy-to-follow science that can have an impact on tackling marine and environmental issues that are negatively impacting our rivers, waterways and coastal areas. We’re excited to kick-start this initiative and empower individuals to act and make a difference.”
“One of our foundation’s missions is to support projects that help educate and raise awareness about our vital yet vulnerable ecosystems,” says Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX and president of the HX Foundation (pictured above with Monty Halls).
“Initiatives like the Big Blue Bag are a powerful tool for both education and action – we believe the power lies in getting people hands-on and active. It removes barriers and inspires individuals to make a meaningful impact.”
The initiative kicked off in Stornoway on Garry Beach with a community beach-clean in collaboration with environmental charity Clean Coast Outer Hebrides. Its chair Janet Marshall said: “We are thrilled to be the first group to receive the Big Blue Bag. Our islands have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and our amazing volunteers work really hard to keep them that way.
“With the Big Blue Bag, we have accessible tools to discover and share more data about the environmental consequences of plastics coming into our shores, and make an even bigger difference.”
UK schools, community and conservation groups are invited to apply now for one of the 50 free Big Blue Bags donated by the HX Foundation.
Also on Divernet: MONTY HALLS PARTNERS WITH HX FOR THE BIG BLUE BAG PROJECT, MONTY HALLS’ GENERATION SEA CHANGE: INSPIRING MARINE CONSERVATION, MONTY HALLS RESCUES STRANDED DOLPHIN
