By Israel Adebiyi

As the world commemorates World Ocean Day today, June 8, 2025, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) is sounding the alarm on humanity’s exploitative relationship with the ocean, calling for an urgent shift toward protection and sustainability.

In a statement issued by Kome Odhomor, HOMEF’s Media and Communications Lead, the environmental group emphasized that the ocean is more than just a vast body of water — it is a living, breathing ecosystem that sustains all life on Earth.

Quoting this year’s theme, “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” HOMEF noted that oceans produce much of the planet’s oxygen, regulate the climate, and support biodiversity. But human actions are pushing them to the brink.

“Climate change, industrial fishing, fossil fuel extraction, and intentional waste dumping are destroying our oceans,” the statement warned. “Dead zones are expanding, pollution is intensifying, and ocean floors are being ravaged.”

Odhomor emphasized that as ocean surface temperatures rise, so does the pace of global warming. “Protecting the ocean is protecting ourselves. We are not separate from it — we are part of the ocean family,” she added.

HOMEF’s Executive Director, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, expressed deep concern over the continued abuse of marine environments.

“Despite their importance, oceans are under constant attack — locally and globally,” Bassey said. “The dangerous misconception that oceans can endlessly absorb pollution is fueling reckless behavior.”

He decried the ocean’s transformation into a dumping ground for waste and a zone of unchecked exploitation, especially by corporate interests that override the needs of coastal communities.

“The ongoing burning of the Ororo oil well for over five years is an ecological crime,” he added. “We must act now to protect the ocean from this slow ecocide.”

Also speaking, Stephen Oduware, Programme Manager at HOMEF and Coordinator of the Fishnet Alliance, highlighted the growing threats to African fisheries.

“From the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, Africa’s marine life is under siege. Industrial bottom trawling and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing are decimating fish stocks and damaging marine ecosystems,” he said.

Oduware called for united action among small-scale fishers across Africa to defend their livelihoods and protect the ocean from further degradation.

“Unchecked exploitation must end. The future of our oceans — and our people — depends on it.”