June is World Ocean Month. To mark World Ocean Day, volunteers gathered outside the New York Aquarium along the Atlantic Ocean to pick up litter.
The volunteers took part in the aquarium’s annual Ocean Shell-a-bration Weekend, a three-day event celebrating the vital role oceans play in our lives and encouraging civic action to protect marine ecosystems.
On Friday, June 6, visitors and residents helped clean up Coney Island Beach, collecting plastic bottles, shoes, soccer balls, cigarette butts and other debris. Their efforts helped prevent marine waste and microplastics from entering New York City’s waterways, making the beachfront safer for both wildlife and city residents.
At the end of the cleanup, organizers estimated that volunteers had removed more than 200 pounds of litter in less than two hours. The New York Aquarium’s Ocean Shell-a-bration Weekend began with the Coney Island cleanup. The three-day event honored World Ocean Day on June 8 and National Oceans Month with family-friendly activities.
Ocean Shell-a-bration Weekend ran from June 6 to 8, with the aquarium hosting events daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. After exploring the exhibits, visitors gathered on Coney Island Beach from 3 to 5 p.m. to help clean up outside the building.
“The cleanup of the litter and debris along the Coney Island beach is designed to help ensure the ocean is safe for people and life,” said Stephanie Joseph, curator of education at the New York Aquarium, in a statement. “This is the fifth year of the New York Aquarium’s beach cleanup, and it is great to see the local community and others come out and take action to keep the ocean healthy and safe.”
Ocean Shell-a-bration Weekend gave Coney Island visitors a chance not only to explore marine life but also to find meaningful ways to protect the Atlantic.
Established in 1895, the Wildlife Conservation Society highlights critical issues such as ocean pollution, overfishing, climate change, and the importance of ocean conservation. Its fifth annual Ocean Shell-a-bration Weekend aimed to unite aquarium visitors in both protecting and appreciating ocean ecosystems for a more sustainable future.
The weekend celebration featured a variety of special activities throughout the aquarium, all included with admission. Highlights included a watch party of the animal show “Sea Lions in the Big City,” penguin feeding observations, and a festive parade through the aquarium.
The New York Aquarium is part of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which conducts marine conservation programs worldwide, including in the New York Bight, stretching from Cape May, New Jersey, to Montauk, New York.
Wildlife Conservation Society members receive free admission to the aquarium, though tickets must be reserved in advance. Their “Land and Sea” membership package includes access to the New York Aquarium, Queens Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Bronx Zoo, supporting the society’s efforts to care for animals in New York and around the world.
