We have been speaking at diving shows for several years about everything from marine plastic pollution to protecting coastal habitats. Why the diving show? Quite simply because the people who attend are invested in the oceans and the marine environment and they are keen to learn as much as they can. This year the organisers very kindly provided us with floor space so that we could put on an interactive stand that would engage with visitors to the event even more than we have in the past. The stand included:
- Our wave tank that provided visible demonstrations of the benefits of coastal vegetation when compared to other man-made coastal defences
- A microplastic sandpit which allowed people to identify and categorise different types of microplastics and mesoplastics
- A microscope showing microplastic fibres in drinking water
- A BRUV (baited remote underwater video) set up with footage showing how we use these to collect data about underwater species diversity
With around 10,000 visitors it was a busy two days for the research team from the University of Portsmouth who came along to help. All being well we shall be at the show again next year with some additional interactive experiences.
