On 3 April, Ukraine and the world celebrate World Aquatic Animal Day (WAAD). The event was launched in 2017 at the initiative of the Animal Rights Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School, which is part of the Centre for Animal Law Studies (CALS). The first World Aquatic Animals Day was held on 3 April 2020.
The purpose of this day is to spread awareness of these often forgotten wild animals that live in or near water. These are not only fish, octopuses, corals, whales and dolphins. This group also includes polar bears, penguins, as well as amphibians and seabirds.
In today's world, aquatic animals face many threats, including overexploitation of their resources.
The lives of aquatic animals are irreparably damaged by chemical water pollution and millions of tonnes of waste accumulating in water bodies every year. The result is a planetary crisis, with more than 100 million marine animals lost annually and ocean ecosystems in decline. Almost 1,000 species of marine animals are affected by ocean pollution – there are already more than 500 places on the planet recorded as dead zones where marine life does not exist.
russian military aggression against Ukraine also has a significant negative impact on this species. The occupiers' ships constantly use acoustic sonar signals in the Black Sea, which can interfere with the dolphins' orientation. Sea mines, rocket launches, fuel leaks and explosions also pose a deadly threat to the mammals. According to the Ministry of Ecology, about 1,000 dolphins have died as a result of military operations in the Black Sea.
We are confident that all the crimes committed against the environment by the russian aggressor will be punished with inevitability.
On this day, the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management reminds us that caring for aquatic animals starts from the conscious and responsible attitude of each of us in the daily use of natural resources.