Turn your awareness into action:

1. Become aware of your local marine life by visiting and exploring the coast. Take the opportunity to learn more about it through schools, at Marine Education Centres or through Coastcare activities.
   
2. Visit local Marine Parks and Reserves and find out the important role they play in protecting marine communities.
   
3. Be responsible with the use of water and ensure that rubbish, detergents, oils, soils and chemicals are prevented from entering our waterways.
   
4. Be a caring fisher. Collect only the bait that you will need, keep only the fish you will eat and return undersized fish to the water. Get involved in programs to improve or restore vital fish habitats.
   
5. When shopping, choose products that have not come as a result of destruction to marine habitats. Avoid buying fish, especially deep sea fish, that have been harvested using techniques that destroy habitats. Find out how seafood is caught or farmed, if it is overfished or results in the death of other species such as albatross. Also find out what effect the fishery is having on the ocean ecosystems.
   
6. Act locally and get involved in a Coastcare group. Assist in local projects to enhance marine environments. Participate in monitoring by joining, or establishing, a monitoring project, such as Dragon Search (a seadragon monitoring program), that collects base line data on biodiversity.
   
7. Dispose of wastes from your garden, swimming pool, aquarium and fish pond properly.
   
8. Have a minimal impact when visiting the coast. Use marked tracks, take rubbish home, look but don't take shells or other sea creatures, return all animals and rocks to their original positions.
   
9. Protect wildlife by controlling pets or leaving them at home when you visit the beach.
   
10. Make your voice heard in the protection and management of marine and coastal areas.

Next: Marine biodiversity activities