Campaign for UK World-Class Aquarium

Campaign for UK World-Class Aquarium
07-10-2009

Hey everyone,

I recently heard, if a total of 20,000 or more signatures are gathered and presented to the government in the UK on a certain issue, they will usually follow it up, as it is evident that it is a meaningful subject that the public are interested in...

Does anyone here think there could ever be a way of campaigning for a government-run world class aquarium in the UK? I just see such a huge niche in this country for such an establishment...

With donations, government funding, and work from philatropists etc, does anyone think it would be possible to establish a aquarium?

I'm not talking a "UKS BIGGEST ATTRACTION" kinda thing...I'm more along the lines of The Monterey Bay Aquarium in the US - educational, research based. Most people in the UK are so unaware of our oceans, it seems a shame all we have are a few crappy Sea Life centres....

Any one else think this idea may be worth pursing, or just a big dream?

Thanks,

Ollie Lloyd

08-10-2009

it is worth plunging, but they would need a bit more than the montery, ie they would need a crowd pullar, whale shark, dolphin, walrus that kinnda thing, otherwise, no matter how well publicised it is, the general uk public will just think of it as another crappy sealife centre (or center to our american friends)

08-10-2009

Do you think there would be a possibility of ever bringing a whale shark to the UK? I would have thought especially now it's even harder....Georgia Aquarium got theirs before taiwan closed the fishing quota...not sure where they'd be sourced now, apart from a few inadequate Chinese aquariums that have them.

I think like I've talked about, the UK needs a world-class aquarium, with a dolphin rescue centre for stranded mammals.

"Strandings have increased from 360 in 1994 to 782 in 2004, a rise of 422 marine animals. The last five years in particular, have shown a dramatic increase in the number of strandings, predominantly due to winter strandings of short-beaked common dolphins and harbour porpoises in south west England."

422 Marine Animals stranding each year is quite alot, a good % of which are dolphins.

I was thinking a good exhibit for the Atlantic Ocean too with sunfish etc bigger sharks, maybe a few pelagic species like Mako, Blue or Portbeagle that are commonly found and fished in the UK. The makos and portbeagles look VERY similar to great whites - I think they'd be a crowd pleaser.

I think the way Sea Life markets themselves kind of kicks themselves in the shins. Their exhibits could be so much better, so much less mcdonalds looking...and I think that alone would get numbers in!

Do you think if I started up a petition site, there would be any hope what so ever? :P What other succesful government funded aquariums are there?

08-10-2009

PS. in 2004,782 stranded! thats crazy

08-10-2009

I found this article. I'm guessing it never took steps forward. What a shame. A few individuals opinions have ultimatly caused hundreds of dolphins,porpoises and whales to have a dramatically less chance of survival after stranding. And the cost for this facility was just £100,000....Sad that even a Zoo or aquarium in Plymouth couldn't help!