Jenkinson's Aquarium Takes Part In Global Mermaid Outreach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ – To help celebrate World Ocean Day, Jenkinson’s Aquarium, along with other aquariums worldwide, hosted the first-ever Global Mermaid Outreach on Tuesday.

In partnership with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration and Fins magazine, mermaids interviewed experts from all over the globe as a way to spark ocean conservation awareness.

“We have mermaids live in tails interviewing experts at global facilities on WOD. These interviews will be presented to over 25,000 classrooms through our partnership with CILC (Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration),” said Jeff Weiner, CEO of Fins Magazine, in a press release.

At Jenkinson’s mangrove exhibit, Mermaid Brizo, the Barnegat Bay Mermaid, interviewed an expert about the importance of coral reef systems to the environment and the economy.

“Aquariums across the region were asked to care for these reef-building corals, in captivity, in an effort to preserve these critical species as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease invades the Florida Reef Tract (FRT),” Mermaid Brizo said.

“The FRT is exceptionally important to the ecosystem but also supports 71,000 jobs and $6.3 billion dollars in sales in South Florida alone. Without reef-building corals, the integrity and diversity of the whole reef system will be weakened.”

Mermaid Brizo enjoys doing outreach like this as it helps people understand just how important the ocean, especially on World Ocean Day.

“When I am not working as a professional mermaid, I am a full-time environmental educator by trade. More and more often, I see people that are aware of these critical issues,” Brizo said.

“By supporting days like World Ocean Day, we are contributing to that awareness. If people become aware of the issues, there will be more inclination to work towards behavior change that will help support a positive balance between our society and the natural systems we live in and around.”

When asked why she thinks mermaids are a good way to help people learn about ocean conversation, Brizo said that mermaids help children learn more because mermaids can interact with the crowd better than a video or plaque.

“We are fun and fantastical, and kids are more inclined to listen when we work to engage them,” Brizo said.

“Just like beautiful educational exhibits at aquariums or educational toys, mermaids can engage children in an interactive and personal way more than a book or even a video.”