Cork Week Joins International Race to Protect Our Seas

16th July 2018

Cork Week race organisers are collaborating with MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy and An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme

Volvo Cork Week, taking place in Crosshaven, County Cork, July 16th – 21st, has announced its collaboration with An Tasice's Clean Coasts programme and the MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy at University College Cork as they join the race to restore ocean health with Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas programme.

The ocean is in crisis, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean from land each year and 40% of the oceans are heavily affected by human activity, including pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing practices, and the loss of coastal habitats.

Clean Regattas is a certification system that enables sailors to protect their local waters with 25 Best Practices that make sustainability approachable and easy. This program is an effort by Sailors for the Sea raising the bar for environmental sustainability and ocean health around the world.

“Our collaboration with Clean Coasts on supporting Volvo Cork Week in their efforts to run a cleaner, greener regatta represents an important opportunity for us to engage the public on the issue of marine litter and tackling single use plastics” commented Aoife Deane, Communications and Public Engagement Manager, MaREI Centre.

Over the 40 years of its history, Volvo Cork Week has cemented its reputation as a world-class sailing experience, flavoured with the key ingredients of friendly competition, varied sailing and excellent entertainment. With over 110 boats from around the world set to compete in this year’s event, Volvo Cork Week is also dedicated to protecting the waters upon which they sail. According to Regatta Chair, Kieran O’Connell, “The Royal Cork Yacht Club is committed to protecting our waters and has implemented a number of Clean Regattas Best Practices to reduce our environmental impact, including the provision of reusable water bottles and hydration stations, compostable food and coffee containers, paper straws, energy conservation, online registration forms, and an information campaign on reducing single use plastics and marine litter.”

Published in Cork Week

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Cork Week

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