Yacht Membership
If you cross oceans and wish to help GOES help the environment by collecting plankton samples, then it is easy for you to engage. If you have a plankton net, we will free issue you with sample containers for you to send the samples back to Goes Foundation.
If you do not have a plankton net, then we can provide you with a plankton net at cost price. If you return the plankton net after use in good condition, 50% of the cost will be refunded.
Plankton Sampling
There are many organisations sampling and testing for marine micro-plastics, which is very important. However, plastic is hydrophobic and will adsorb many of the priority chemicals. Zooplankton then ingest the micro-plastics and priority chemicals and receive a dose of the chemicals millions of times more concentrated than in the water. The priority chemicals impact on the growth and productivity of the plankton, we consider that this may be the primary mechanism for climate change as opposed to the burning of fossil fuels. Zooplankton are subsequently eaten by fish, marine mammals and birds. Reproduction success is for all marine mammals is dropping, killer whales cannot reproduce in Northern Europe, and other cetaceans such as Sperm Whales are beaching themselves.
Consequence
The consequences and effects of priority chemicals has been almost completely ignored, yet it will result in a cascade failure of the entire marine ecosystems in next 25 to 40 years unless we take action now. Failure to take action will result in a loss of most of our marine mammals and birds as well as teleost fish and a food supply for 2 billion people.
Copepods are marine zooplankton that are used as indicator species to determine the health and status of the marine ecosystem. At Goes Foundation we are taking it one stage further by chemical analysis of the organisms for priority chemicals, the information will be used to raise awareness and hopefully effect change.