Who Owns the Oceans?
Rockaway Beach OR “Star Stomping” 20X20 inches Acrylic on Canvas
One of the most magical and surreal experiences you can have on the Oregon coast is encountering what Oregonians call “Star Stomping,” an experience where the waves and wet sand at the tideline light as though they are filled with hundreds of tiny stars.
The glow of the tideline comes from a form of phytoplankton called dinoflagellates, which are bioluminescent -- meaning they glow like fireflies. My newest painting was inspired by an evening of star stomping on Rockaway Beach. I added flakes of silver paint to sparkle like the dinoflagellates in the waves and on the beach.
Star stomping, seeing baby turtles hatch out of the sand, or watching the whales wave as they migrate south are experiences that remind us of the diverse and complex ecosystem which live just beyond the shoreline. Even though I feel small when I look out at the immense ocean, I know collectively, humanity has had a significant impact on these blue expanses and the creatures who call it home.
Oregon has many laws in place to protect wildlife along its shorelines. But sea creatures like dinoflagellates, sea turtles, whales, etc. have no nationality or understanding of humanity’s concept of borders. I recently learned that two-thirds of the world’s oceans are beyond national jurisdiction in what is called “the high seas.”
If the high seas are beyond national jurisdiction, then who is responsible for caring for and protecting our world’s oceans?
The answer is as complicated as it is simple. No one is, and therefore everyone is.
For the first time in history, humans are using our collective wisdom and power to work together on a global scale to develop a Global Ocean Treaty which creates safe havens for marine life to recover.
The Global Ocean Treaty will support the animals big and small that are part of our coastal communities as they migrate around the world and back again. I hope someday you will get the opportunity to visit “The Peoples Coast” on the same night the dinoflagellates return so you too can experience walking in the stars.
_________________________________________________________________________ Want to learn more about the Global Ocean Treaty and how you can show your support? VIDEO:
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