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Sea Stewards Handbook – Learn About Issues Affecting Our Ocean and What You Can Do to Help

June 17, 2019

This handbook was developed to support the Sea Stewards program. Underserved students, persons with disabilities, and veterans spend a day recreating on the ocean and learning about what it means to be an ethical angler and a marine steward.

The ocean is in trouble, but you can help save it! Every day the news is filled with stories about issues affecting our ocean, such as marine debris, ocean acidification, and sea level rise. But most stories will not explain how individuals can help. The Sea Stewards Handbook is here to teach you what you need to know to help save the world, or at least the 70% of it that is covered in saltwater. In this handbook, you will discover:

  • The importance of watersheds, which connect our doorsteps to the ocean.
  • Nine big problems facing the ocean today.
  • Examples of kids, teens, and adults who are ocean heroes.
  • Ways that you can get involved and become a sea steward.

All around the world, people are waking up to the issues facing our ocean and are rising up to make a difference. From hosting cookie fundraisers to designing inventions that suck up marine debris to writing songs about marine ecosystems, kids and adults are using their talents to help save the ocean.

Many of the problems facing our ocean may seem too big to solve. When you think of major challenges like overfishing, urban runoff, and oil spills, you may think, “What can I do? I’m just one person.” While solving these problems alone might be impossible, people around the world are banding together to find creative solutions.

You have a voice, and the ocean needs you to speak for it. Are you ready to become a Sea Steward? If so, keep reading!

Last updated by West Coast Regional Office on 02/13/2023