Ocean literacy: What lies beneath the surface?
The ocean is a mysterious, dangerous place for most people. In Namibia, most of our coastline is inhospitable desert, with only a few coastal towns where people go to enjoy the ocean. The ocean is easy to ignore for most Namibians who live inland and do not go to the beach on holiday, making it difficult to raise public awareness and concern for the state of the ocean.
On the 22nd of May 2025, the Namibian Youth Chamber of Environment (NYCE) hosted a webinar on ocean literacy, featuring guest speakers, Pewah Nghaangulwa from Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) and Arariky Shikongo from Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN). Ocean literacy is an important step to help us understand the ocean better and consider how we can contribute to protecting marine environments.
Ocean literacy and why it matters
The Atlantic Ocean along the Namibian coast is characterised by the cold, nutrient-rich Benguela Current. These waters support abundant phytoplankton that support a food web including numerous fish, mammals and bird species. The marine fishing sector contributes 3-4% of the national GDP and fish are an important source of protein for many Namibians. The kelp forests and islands off the coast provide habitats for fish, seabirds and other marine life.
The purpose of ocean literacy is to introduce Namibians to the underwater world lying beneath the surface of the ocean and explain why it is important to conserve it. Ocean literacy – first introduced in the early 2000s in the USA – is grounded in seven principles: (1)Earth has one big ocean with many features; (2)The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the earth; (3)The ocean has a major influence on weather and climate; (4)The ocean makes the earth habitable; (5)The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems; (6)The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected; (7)The ocean is largely unexplored. These principles form the foundation of the global ocean literacy movement and have been adapted to address Namibia’s unique context.
The ocean literacy toolkit
Nghaangulwa introduced the Ocean Literacy Toolkit (OLT) developed by Namibia Nature Foundation in partnership with the Topnaar Community, Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET), EduVentures, and Centre for Marine Environmental Education and Sustainability (CeMEES). The toolkit responds to a widespread lack of ocean-related content in formal education and aims to integrate ocean literacy into the national curriculum by equipping educators with SMART lessons, learning objectives and activities. These lessons include career options related to the ocean, inspiring young people to get involved with the marine ecosystem after school The toolkit will be launched later in 2025 and made available online and through the Ministry of Education.
Creating awareness through community outreach and seal rescues
Shikongo contributed by discussing the OCN’s outreach efforts to promote ocean literacy through community engagement and educational programmes. OCN promotes ocean literacy through outreach activities like beach cleanups with schools and educational campaigns targeting local communities. Their large social media following is based on videos of rescuing seals from entanglements with fishing nets, plastic and other waste materials. This focus on larger marine animals generates interest in the marine world and our impact on it, although he acknowledged the need to expand research efforts to include microorganisms and microplastics. The conversation also touched on strategies for educating coastal visitors about responsible behaviour.
What’s next?
This discussion was a reminder that the health of the ocean directly impacts the health and well-being of all life on earth. The Chamber remains committed to supporting ocean education and awareness. We will work alongside NNF, OCN and other dedicated partners to inspire a generation of ocean advocates that are equipped with knowledge and skills to drive sustainable marine practices.
Click here to download Pewah Nghaangulwa’s presentation (pdf, 696 kb)
Click here to download Arariky Shikongo’s presentation (pdf, 15 mb)