"Despite its importance, marine biodiversity — the theme of this year's International Day for Biological Diversity — has not fared well at human hands. Commercial over-exploitation of the world’s fish stocks is severe. Many species have been hunted to fractions of their original populations" —UN Sec. Ban Ki-moon

This year's theme for International Day of Biological Diversity is marine biodiversity. This day provides us the opportunity to get everyone interested in marine life, and the opportunity to raise awareness of the issue and increase practical action. 

The oceans need all the resilience it can muster in the face of pollution and climate change and the potentially damaging impacts these problems are already producing in the marine world.

It is gravely worrying that we are damaging the oceans on a scale that is unimaginable to most people.

Now, if you are not aware of what's happening to the oceans beyond the beach, here are some random facts you may or may not know. Feel free to also share these bits of facts to your friends...

The top 3m (10ft) of the ocean hold as much heat as our entire atmosphere. #oceans
The average depth of the ocean is about four kilometres (2.5 miles). #oceans
The Great Barrier Reef, measuring 2,000 km, is the largest living structure on Earth. #oceans
Shark attacks kill between 8-12 people each year. People kill between 20-100 million sharks each year.
80% of life on earth is under the ocean. Only 10% has been explored. #oceans
Air pollution is responsible for 33% of the toxic contaminants that end up in #oceans & coastal waters.
Each year, 3 times as much trash is dumped into the world's oceans as the weight of fish caught from them.
Between 500,000 and 10 million species live in the deep sea, many of them yet to be discovered. #oceans
Less than one percent of the world's seamounts – mountains under the sea - have been explored. #oceans
It can take up to 1,000 years for plastic bottles to break up in the ocean. #oceans
It can take up to two years for a cigarette to break down in the ocean. #oceans
 

More facts about the oceans can be found here.