Blue zone touch tanks, conservation talks, took center stage in The Coral at Atlantis Paradise Island to shine light on endangered species, and the importance of the ocean on World Ocean Day (WOD). The husbandry team at the resort rolled out touch tanks with sea stars, green sea turtles and nurse shark pups, born at the resort, in an effort to bring awareness to marine life conservation and the ocean in recognition of the day.
With the 2026 WOD action theme “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet,” Atlantis created a blue zone experience in the lobby of the Coral on Monday, June 8, as it continued its effort to bring awareness to the importance of marine life conservation, and the ocean itself, as well as education, through showcasing some of the resort’s marine life.
Keisha Russell, Atlantis aquarium husbandry manager, said their goal was to provide people with the opportunity to experience and interact with the animals in an effort to increase awareness.
“This is important on so many levels because the ocean actually plays a huge role in how we live our lives and how it sustains our lives from our food to washing dishes,” said Russell. “I hope people took away a desire to play a part in taking care and conserving them.”
As far as education, Russell said people have to be cognizant of what they put down their drains in their homes. “Ultimately, in most cases, some of that makes its way to the oceans from runoffs or however it gets there.”
Health and wellness of oceans, she said, correlates to the health and wellness of humans.
The blue zone experience was beyond just display. She said it was important educationally, as well, to bring awareness to people that the animals on display needed to be conserved and protected.
“Even from the single-use plastics, we see the microbeads in some of the creams being produced making their way into the ocean and being found in the fish that we eat, so that’s a cause for concern. So, all around, whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we use, has an impact on the oceans and our environment.”
Bahamians she said should also be concerned about overfishing of resources from the seas, such as conch, lobster, and fish such as snappers or groupers.
“We’ve seen a decline, so we want people to know that we want to have a big snapper on our plates for generations to come, so we’re going to need people to use wisdom in how we take the resources from our seas,” she said.
The “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet” action theme is universal. Whether coastal or landlocked, every nation depends on a healthy ocean for climate stability, biodiversity, and human well-being. “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet” brings together the momentum of recent multi-year action themes — “Catalyzing Ocean-Climate Action” and “Protecting at Least 30% of Lands, Waters, and Ocean” by 2030 (30×30) – and aligns with the ratification of the High Seas Treaty to protect biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
Creating strongly regulated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) officials said is essential to turning global communities into real conservation outcomes. And that implementation requires a collective effort, accountability, and sustained public engagement.
World Ocean Day helps unite the world in June.
Atlantis began its World Ocean Month celebrations on June 6, ahead of WOD on June 8.
WOD raises awareness about the ocean’s role in sustaining life on Earth and mobilizes efforts to protect and restore marine environments.
Denielle Johnson, husbandry aquarist, Atlantis, said some of the important things they hoped people took away from the experience was the importance of the ocean, why it needs to be protected.
WOD officials said together progress can be accelerated and help create a global network of MPAs that restores ecosystems, build resilience, and inspires hope for the future.
In celebration of World Ocean Day, Atlantis employees donned blue attire.
Ahead of WOD, the resort hosted trivia for its employees in an effort to ensure they were retaining the information they have doling out over the years in relation to conservation.
Since launching in 2002, WOD has grown from an idea to thousands of events and millions of people reached each year. While WOD is an international day to bring awareness to the importance of the ocean and a need to protect it, at Atlantis Paradise Island they celebrate the ocean every day.
Since 2005, Atlantis Blue Project Foundation has invested in conservation at its most pivotal point – when bold ideas need early support to become real solutions. As a catalyst for high-potential, science-based initiatives, they focus on work that delivers real-life impact in the ocean.
Atlantis has been celebrating WOD since 2015, educating and impacting people on and raising awareness on the importance of the ocean.
WOD is a global celebration to help protect, honor and conserve the world’s oceans. It highlights the need for protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources. The purpose of the day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of people who want to look after oceans, and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.
WOD also seeks to promote knowledge about the world’s oceanic system and how they are at increasing risk from climate change, rising pollution, acidification of ocean water, rising average temperatures, to a reduction in ocean biodiversity.
Atlantis also seeks to give back to the ocean and ecosystem through its sustainable practices – having banned single-use plastics; recycling program of cardboard, oil and green waste; community outreach educational programs working with NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to restore wetlands; research, rescue and rehabilitation of marine life; breed and release program for sea turtles; and through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, which is dedicated to saving sea species and their habitats throughout The Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas through funding scientific research, conservation programs and community outreach.
As the world recognized WOD behind its rallying cry to unite to protect and restore the blue planet, officials at Atlantis are proud that every day is Earth Day at the resort – not only as a company, but as inhabitants of the earth. Atlantis officials do everything they can to celebrate, protect and support the ocean and environment.
Resort officials say it is up to everyone to do their part in preserving and restoring the Earth. And that as an ocean and environmentally focused resort, there are efforts they make to fulfill their commitment to the planet – recycling bins for plastic and aluminium cans installed throughout the property; plastic straws replaced with paper straws to avoid endangering the ocean and marine species; and water and energy conservation program includes the use of updated energy-efficient equipment, an established system for lights off and thermostats raised in guest rooms and office spaces, the encouragement for guests to reuse bath towels and reduce number of daily bed sheet changes to participate in conservation.
WOD unites and rallies the world to protect and restore the blue planet, and supports collaborative conservation, working with its global network of youth and organizational leaders in more than 140 countries, and providing free and customizable promotional and actionable resources.
