Category: Ocean

“Blue Gold: World Water Wars”: Video Summary

It is apparent that future wars will be mainly fought as a result of the struggle for water resources. As it stands now, politics has engulfed the water debate to an extent that crucial legislations cannot be readily passed by lawmakers in order to protect this scarce commodity. As a matter of fact, the global marketplace is heavily relying on water for sustainable development. There is an increasing desire by corrupt governments, private investors and corporate giants to control the declining supply of water. This explains why citizens across the globe have mounted public protests coupled with lawsuits so as to regain control of this precious commodity. It is also interesting to mention that poor management of water led to the collapse of past civilizations. The same scenario can still repeat itself in the contemporary world if effective water management is not practiced.

In regards to the changing and dwindling water resources, it is prudent to underscore the fact that climate change is largely to blame for this growing challenge. Destructive human activities through the emission of greenhouse gases have altered atmospheric composition. As a result, the global temperatures are above the natural average thereby causing serious weather and climatic patterns on the surface of the earth. One of the key resources that have been grossly impacted by climate change is water. Needless to say, it calls for concerted effort by both citizens and relevant government authorities as well as the international community to bring water resource management back to order.

Ancient societies cherished water and modeled their lives around it. They even worshipped water as a god. In other words, a lot of value was attached to water resources.

Change in climate has significantly modified water resources. The ancient Mayan society was equally affected by the dwindling water resources. Human activities have vastly polluted water resources as witnessed in Mexico City. Industrial effluents and sewerage systems from domestic wastes are channeled into rivers and other water bodies. This leads to loss of oxygen in rivers. As a result, aquatic life has been exposed to gross danger.

Pollution of water systems especially in Africa and other third world countries has led to high rates of morbidity and mortality. Cholera, malaria, and typhoid are common in regions affected by water pollution. The film also points out that water is categorized as an economic good by the United Nations. It has an inherent economic value more than minerals. In the case of Mexico, it appears that the past regimes have never put a lot of focus on the utilization of water resources. A company like Coca Cola received the largest water concessions from the Mexican government. However, the negative economic impacts of harvesting large volumes of water are yet to be addressed by the authorities.

Coca Cola ruled Mexico for a long time by being the largest user of water. Protests over water resources have been witnessed in the past. Even some of the well established economies such as the United States of America are running out of water. As it stands now, it is highly likely that water resources that form boundaries between countries might be a major source of conflict as individual nations strive to secure a larger share of the resource. The latter has already been witnessed across the board in both the developed and developing economies. Bolivia was once affected by water related protests that led to loss of billions of dollars.

Fertilizing the Ocean with Iron: Article Summary

From the article Fertilizing the Ocean with Iron, there are suggestions that iron is capable of minimizing the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This proposal was first made by John Martin. According to Martin, Plankton bloom can be triggered when iron dust is sprinkled on sea waters. The available atmospheric carbon dioxide that traps heat on the surface of the earth is then be absorbed by the millions of cells generated from the process.

When Martins was making the above remarks, there was already sufficient evidence that iron is capable of absorbing carbon dioxide. There was water-tight empirical evidence from laboratories which demonstrated the effect of iron fertilization on atmospheric composition of carbon dioxide. The cells generated can trap carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Recent discoveries on the same subject matter have not refuted the earlier findings. However, the efficacy of this procedure to eliminate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is still in doubt. Iron fertilization can indeed trap this greenhouse gas although the efficiency level may not be as initially indicated by earlier research studies.

Owing to the growing concern over the threats of global warming and climate change, lawyers, environmentalists, economists, investors and policy makers are gradually considering the possibility of implementing Martin’s ideology. There are myriads of companies that have demonstrated willingness to advance the course of this empirical study in order to establish or come up with conclusive findings that can be put into practical use. Nonetheless, the whole picture seems to be complicated due to the absence of clear legal guidelines to conduct such an empirical study. This does not rule out the fact that the key global players should route for measures that can eliminate emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Sea Turtle Tastes Like Veal: Article Summary

Ronald Bailey observes that sea turtle has a long history in Cayman Island. The farm that takes care of the turtles was established way back in 1968 by entrepreneurs from the United Kingdom. However, the history of sea turtles in this island is as old as humanity bearing in mind that they have been in existence for several centuries. According to the author, overharvesting led to a massive drop in the population of sea turtles at Cayman Island.

However, private turtle farms partially assisted to minimize the challenge posed by overharvesting. From the article, it is evident that pressure groups drawn from environmentalists have never been at ease with the idea of selling farmed sea turtles because it may equally leas to the drop in their population from the natural catchments. At this point, it is not clear whether natural harvesting of sea turtles can indeed lead to the drop in their population because environmentalists hold a contrary view. Regardless of the method used to breed and harvest sea turtles, due care should be taken in order to avoid overharvesting.

Are Sea Turtles Worth Saving? Article Summary

The article from the www.bonaireturtles.org website also explores the desire to conserve sea turtles because they fall among the endangered species in this century. Their ecological importance calls for every reason to conserve this rare sea animal. It is interesting to note that both marine ecosystems and beaches host the sea turtles. This implies that the two ecosystems can become delicate if the species goes into extinction. Besides, human beings who obviously rely on the two ecosystems would be equally affected. The article discusses a number of reasons why the sea turtles should be conserved or protected. They are keystone species, attract tourists, and prevent large growth of jellyfish. These are indeed enough reasons for protecting this rare species.

“The Cove” Documentary Summary

This film was produced in 2009 to inquire the welfare of dolphins in Japan. It featured as the Best Documentary one year later. By far and large, the film agitates for the need to protect dolphin population in Japan following mass killing of this aquatic species. The declining number of dolphins in Japan has been attributed to fishing malpractices. Hence, the film emphasizes the need for immediate change in fishing styles.

The public is also being educated in order to comprehend the risks of unhealthy fishing practices that may eventually culminate into the extinction of dolphins. The dolphin meat is also at a higher risk of being poisoned due to the infiltration of mercury into water bodies. Negative human impact on the environment has remarkably jeopardized the ecosystem. The film openly blames environmental pollution on the increasing mass deaths of dolphins. An ocean conservationist’s perspective has been used to tell the story of the endangered Japanese dolphins.

The Taiji dolphin drive hunting has led to the killing of a large number of dolphins compared to those that lose their lives in the Antarctic region. The Japanese Whaling industry is also to blame for the mass killing of dolphins in this country. The cove is used to herd the migrating dolphins. Thereafter, knives and spears are used to kill the dolphins once they are inside the nets. The documentary movie concludes that the fishing method being used to net dolphins in Japan is irrelevant and brutal.

The International Whaling Commission might allow commercial whaling specifically in Japan after the latter garnered requisite votes to go ahead with large scale whaling activities.

Overview of the Problem

The concept of “common ownership” applies to natural resources to which there is unlimited access. Most of the environmental resources in the world are unprotected; thus, access to them is unrestricted. The “common ownership” problem relates to the pollution and unsustainable use or overexploitation of a common access resource. Sustainability demands that the use of a resource does not jeopardize its ability to cater for the needs of future generations (Enger & Smith, 2016). If the use of a resource is unrestricted, then its acquisition is free, i.e., it requires no economic or social cost to acquire it.

In essence, the common-ownership nature of most natural resources creates the “tragedy of common access” that results in resource overexploitation and pollution (Enger & Smith, 2016, p. 116). The underlying argument is that without property rights to control access or consumption, individuals will often overexploit resources because there are no market incentives to use them sustainably. Further, the common-ownership nature of resources accounts for extinctions and endangered species. From an economic perspective, the person exploiting a common property resource is not obligated to pay anyone for the harvest. Thus, the individual would not consider the opportunity cost to the community that results from dwindling stocks or pollution.

Common Ownership of Oceans

Established demarcations separate the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) from the unclaimed waters that are considered global commons. An EEZ is a 200-mile coastal water area within the continental shelf that is under a nation’s jurisdiction (Pyc, 2016). The common seas form an interconnected ecological system with the EEZs, making them a common ownership resource. Oceanic ecosystems play a critical part in the balance of life. The interlinked aspects of climate, fauna, and flora, and economic systems – shipping, fishing, and energy resources – depending on the high seas and waters within the EEZs. Further, the effects of economic growth, e.g., pollution, are not restricted to a particular EEZ, as they can move freely through the ocean currents to affect distant locations. This fundamental unity of oceans means that the world waters impact on all of us.

While the international waters are the true commons, the ocean waters within national jurisdictions are global because the fish and pollution effects are not limited to these boundaries. Therefore, the sustainable use of the ocean commons would need concerted efforts. Terrestrial activities have an effect on the oceans. Industrial and agricultural activities in inland regions affect ocean waters indirectly through rivers, while activities in coastal marshes have a direct impact on offshore waters. Thus, the effects of terrestrial activities reach the offshore waters and are spread to international waters by ocean currents.

Problems or Threats of Common Ownership to Oceans

Presently, oceanic resources face a threat from overexploitation of marine resources and pollution. Overexploitation arises when people overcapitalize and overexploit commonly owned marine resources due to economic/market incentives. The rationale for continued overfishing in the high seas relates to economic rationality. According to Greiber et al. (2014), having an open access policy for the high seas promotes overexploitation because there is no assurance that the fish stocks will last for long. As a result, it is only rational to fish more often and use commercial vessels to out-fish competitors in waters outside the continental shelves. This action coupled with the limited nature of fish stocks results in overexploitation. While open access fishing is meant to promote fairness, it attracts many overcapitalized trawlers that threaten the existence of the fish stocks. Consequently, some fish species have been fished to extinction, while others are endangered.

Pollution is another threat to oceans resulting from common ownership. Pollution effects are serious in offshore waters and lagoons located in the EEZs. Coastal areas are home to the world’s major cities, industries, and recreational establishments that produce tones of waste that end up in coastal waters. Land-based human activities, including river diversion for domestic use and agriculture, contribute to pollution in the oceans through estuarine river systems (Pyc, 2016). These activities coupled with dredging along the shoreline have affected estuarine habitats and vulnerable ecosystems in high seas. Pollution also arises from municipal sewage, sediments, and Agrochemicals that reach estuarine river systems through runoffs. Heavy metal accumulation, oil spills from tankers, and nuclear wastes from various tests pose a serious threat to the marine ecosystem. These pollutants kill phytoplankton life, affecting the marine food chain and ecosystems.

Ocean Governance

The fragmented nature of ocean governance coupled with competing for national interests poses a threat to the health and survival of marine ecosystems. A special U.N. committee originating in the UNEP would be well-positioned to administer the exploitation of high seas through legally binding measures. Its mandate would include protecting undersea biodiversity from overexploitation, pollution, and deep-sea oil exploration as enshrined in the Law of the Sea. The committee would take up the roles performed by existing regional councils to foster consistency in ocean governance for mutual benefits.

By bringing together all governments, the committee would serve as a custodian of the public trust. The protection of the use of trust resources entails the effective management of ecosystems and limiting public access to threatened areas. According to Pyc (2016), sustainable exploitation of marine resources for economic incentives should consider “public trust values, traditional values, and customs” of the nations in proximity to these areas (p. 160). Further, the common property nature of oceans calls for more cohesive management of EEZs and ocean resources. Extending the public trust doctrine to cover coastal waters would strengthen the committee’s stewardship of ocean resources through the enforcement of programs to control pollution and coastal activities. The public trust doctrine would need to be codified in statutory law to allow its application by the courts.

Types of Regulations or Restrictions

Regulations that address the problems of overexploitation and pollution are required to preserve marine life. Regulations that create more marine protected areas on the high seas would help tackle the problems associated with common ownership. The legal framework for the inclusion of marine protected areas should be universally acceptable and fair. These areas should be ocean ecosystems with endangered species or scientific/cultural value. The creation of marine protected areas would lead to the sustainable use of biodiversity beyond the territorial scope of nations.

In addition, regulations that limit or prohibit the catch levels of endangered species are required. The restrictive measures would include protecting low fish stocks from commercial fishing. An example relates to decisions by the International Whaling Commission to restrict or prohibit whaling in high seas. Thus, legally binding anti-whaling regulations could control certain stocks from overexploitation, except for scientific purposes. The restrictions would help achieve sufficient populations of endangered marine species. The dumping of radioactive waste and pollution due to land-based activities affect the health of marine resources. Therefore, a moratorium resolution to restrict the disposal of wastes into the oceans would also be necessary.

Fair Use

The fair use of marine resources located outside the national jurisdictions requires a collaborative approach. Collaborative efforts based on marine spatial planning (MSP) have been applied in designating protected marine areas in the oceans. I would use the MSP tool to develop integrated measures for allocating marine resources to governments. In this respect, developed countries with the capacity to exploit the “common heritage” could use it sustainably and share the rewards with nations that lack this capacity. Further, even landlocked nations would receive a share of the marine resources because it is a common heritage of humanity.

Another strategy would involve limiting the extent of the EEZs. The main reason for expanding the EEZs is due to the depletion of marine resources in the coastal waters. The earlier conventions that restricted resource exploitation in the main fisheries have largely failed because of the issue of fair allocation. Therefore, limiting open access to these areas through centralized management would ensure that the resources are allocated fairly to all nations. The resources would be shared across time and space.

Further, commercial fishing restrictions could help prevent the unsustainable use of marine resources. Fairness in the exploitation of commonly owned resources entails requires sustainable practices to avoid jeopardizing the capacity of the resources to meet the needs of the coming generations. In this regard, efforts would be directed towards the protection of marine habitats from pollution and support the cultural uses of resources through collaborative processes that benefit the current and future generations.

References

Enger, E., & Smith, B. (2016). Environmental science: A study of interrelationships. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Greiber, T., Gjerde, K., Currie, D., Druel, E., Durussel, C., Scovazzi, T., & Warner, R. (2014). An International Instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction: Exploring different elements to consider. Cambridge, UK: IUCN Environmental Law Center.

Pyc, D. (2016). Global ocean governance. International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, 10(1), 159-162.

Among various natural disasters, tsunamis deserve particular attention for the combination of their destructive character and opportunities to prevent human losses. An event that entirely transformed standard scientific approaches to this phenomenon was the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2014), it all started with a 9.1 magnitude earthquake near Sumatra, Indonesia. Although not resulting in significant destruction, it ruptured “a 900-mile stretch along with the Indian and Australian plates,” forcing massive ocean floor segments over thirty meters upward (Roos, 2020, para. 9). Combined with the ten-minute duration, such a quake caused a tremendous tsunami rushing across the Indian Ocean. It affected the entire region, with the heaviest losses in nearby Indonesia and several deaths occurring even in South Africa, five thousand miles from the epicenter (Roos, 2020). Therefore, this tsunami became a global disaster affecting millions of people and requiring a thorough review and identification of future preventive and mitigation measures.

The statistical data published by international researchers demonstrate the tremendous effects of this natural disaster. With 227,898 people dead or missing, it caused the highest number of tsunami victims throughout recorded history (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014). The worst effects of the great wave were observed in Indonesia, where the death toll exceeded 160,000 people, and the overall damages almost reached $4.5 billion (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014). The remaining fatalities were found all along the Indian Ocean coast, with the largest numbers in Sri Lanka and India. The total material losses were estimated to reach $10 billion (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014). Entire communities were wiped off the map, thousands of houses and large infrastructural objects were destroyed. Moreover, ruined coastal facilities resulted in a significant impact on tourism, which constituted the primary income source for many states. Thus, this tsunami became the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster in the region for years.

The latest strategies aimed at mitigating tsunamis are vast; however, their implementation is complex and does not always guarantee the complete prevention of the disaster’s impact. The first strategy is concerned with the vertical evacuation of the population to the excising natural high ground or tsunami-resistant structures or special-purpose structures. The second strategy is the construction of structures that are higher than the expected height of tsunami inundation (Goltz & Yamori, 2020). The third strategy is concerned with excellent preparedness of the cities in communities, such as the adoption of building codes to address tsunamis, the moving of essential community assets and vulnerable individuals out of tsunami hazard zones, as well as planning for post-tsunami recovery. It is suggested to implement a global educational program, allowing people to identify the early signs of an incoming disaster, which be viewed as a measure to prevent human losses.

Nevertheless, despite all technological advancements, the generation and distribution of warnings still take time, and nearby areas can be affected in minutes. Therefore, straightforward advice to anyone in the coastal zone, feeling the ground shaking or seeing the water inexplicably receding, would be to rush to an elevated place and stay there until the wave passes. Because not all current prevention and mitigation efforts are fully effective, further research and development efforts are needed to address the challenge of the adverse impact of tsunamis on the global population.

References

Goltz, J., & Yamori, K. (2020). Tsunami preparedness and mitigation strategies. Natural Hazard Science. Web.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2014). December 26, 2004, Sumatra, Indonesia earthquake and tsunami – Tenth anniversary update. Web.

Roos, D. (2020). The 2004 tsunami wiped away towns with ‘mind-boggling’ destruction. History. Web.

A guy interested in the impact of the plastic boom on the ocean’s life spins a chain that threatens the ecology of the oceans. The deeper he plunges into his investigation, the more he realizes that it is not plastic straws that bring death to the sea but the uncontrolled extermination of its living creatures. There is a plastic pollution problem in the waters, but industrial fishing is causing much more harm to the environment. The focus of public attention has been deliberately and successfully shifted from a much larger disaster.

The film presents the results of Ali Tabrizi’s research that sheds light on what has been neglected for a long time. The scenes shown in the films evoke different feelings when viewed. The author uses an emotional appeal when he records the chronicle of a dolphin hunt in a corral in Japanese Taiji. The cold-blooded mindless killing of intelligent animals and the terrible statistics from the first moments are striking, provoking an emotional response. Tabrizi gradually unravels problem after problem; scenes of the scale of the commercial fishing industry cannot leave one indifferent.

At the beginning of his investigation, the author is unaware of more global ocean problems than plastic pollution. Then one can trace the pathos in the words and actions of the actor and, concurrently, the author of this film. Realizing the impact of the problem on the environment, the young guy demonstratively refuses to use plastic, collects garbage on beaches, and donates funds to an organization to combat ocean pollution. The scenes from the fishing industry study seem logical and appropriate; facts and expert opinions confirm his guesses and lead to further reflections; research evidence can be considered authoritative by the audience. This documentary is not trivial; from the first minutes, the author’s distinctive approach to the material immerses them in what is happening. The film raises many questions about the oceans: unintentional fishing for fish and marine animals during the main catch, ocean pollution with plastic waste, and frankly frightening whaling traditions in the Faroe Islands.

Public organizations refuse to communicate with the director, and at some point, the police even come for Tabrizi. However, there are still people who agreed to be interviewed in the film. For example, legendary scientist Sylvia Earl and eco-activist Rick O’Barry reveal their missions to protect the ocean in detail (Tabrizi). Some express contradictory things on camera – David Phillips, director of the Earth Island Institute in California. The organization issuing food badges, which state that no dolphins were harmed during the extraction, cannot guarantee this information, as the director’s interviewee reported.

This is the main conflict of the Seaspiracy: Tabrizi admits that he is not a scientist but loads a lot of scientific information into the viewer, which does not always correspond to reality. Perhaps two theses from the film cause the greatest shock during viewing: 46 percent of the “Garbage Continent” comprises fishing nets, not plastic straws. The second one is that by 2048 the world’s oceans will be without any life. The opinion about the situation described in the film cannot be unambiguous, given that some statements were refuted outside the film, including by the author himself. However, based on what Tabrizi captured on camera, there is a reason for concern. The overfishing crisis should be paid more attention to, and measures should remedy the situation.

Work Cited

Tabrizi, Ali, director. Seaspiracy, A.U.M. Films, 2021, Netflix.

The visual argument will be published in a one-page spread of a newspaper. The visual argumentation will target the general population to address ocean dumping. The audience values environmental preservation in the oceans and understands the threats of sea dumping on aqua life and the environment. There is, however, less awareness of deep-sea drilling and the impacts on the habitat and human life in the oceans and along the coasts. The augmentation will create an apprehension of the environmental effects oil companies drilling close to water bodies have on human and aqua life. The theme of the argumentation is to stop deep-sea drilling. To make my request clear and direct so that the audience would comprehend it without any misunderstanding or appearing of additional questions about the content of my visual argument, I will use an image with a help of the text reflecting on deep-water drilling, threats to habitats, and life. People unevenly feel the impacts of ocean drilling, and the newspaper spread should enhance awareness among the general population

The core of the argument is the environmental impacts of deep-sea drilling. The core argument should challenge the human/environment dichotomy. Deep-sea drilling creates very high risks of oil spillage that is disastrous to marine wildlife and contributes to climate change. The continued utilization of the extraction method causes a rise in the sea level, extinction, and decline in marine life and threatens the landscape environment and human life. The core argument will highlight the possible future calamities following extensive deep-sea drilling. The visual argumentation will be implicitly expressed in one visual image and a slogan. The visual image will be impressive, catching, clear, and appealing to the audience, supported by the slogan.

Appropriate use of font sizes, styles, color, and layout will catch the audience’s attention at first glance. The spacing and design will be proportional to the page size and the type of paper. Double spacing and precise words in the slogan for good formatting and avoiding clutter. A simple conventional typeface in the slogan will improve the readability of the augmentation. The slogan will be relatively large to emphasize the critical idea. The color selection in the image will be catchy and communicate the concept behind the design in the visual argumentation. The color will create deep meaning and reflection of the image. The slogan will summarize the image to pinpoint the core argument. Each first letter of the saying will be capitalized to catch attention and create a persuasive effect.

The image will display a coastal area with drilling rigs and large oil barrels leaking to a large water body and marine life soaked in oil. The water body’s surface will be covered with oil, and besides the barrels will be individuals covered with oil-like substances. The image should evoke emotions of sympathy and horror in the viewers. The image will demonstrate the direct impacts of oil spillage resulting from ocean drilling on human and marine life. The marine life soaked with oil will create an emotional appeal to the suffering inflicted on the animals. People covered in oil demonstrate the reciprocating effect ocean drilling can have on human life. By depicting significant risks, the relevant authorities should respond to put environmental considerations over the monetary benefits of oil extraction (Meyer 5). The image should appeal to the broader audience to abandon oil dependency and embrace sustainable energy sources.

Work Cited

Meyer, Renate E., et al. “The role of verbal and visual text in the process of institutionalization.”Academy of management review 43.3 (2018): 392-418.

The Great Ocean Road Triathlon will encompass swimming, biking and running. It will occur at Anglesea Victoria, Great Ocean Road. The event includes a series of event management, risk management and administrative functions.

Human resources

The triathlon will have a marketing team that consists of a coordinator, media team, and planning group. They will be responsible for the initial announcement of the event using local media outlets. These include television, an event website, radio, newspapers, leaflets and social networking sites. The website will have information about joining the triathlon, and will give advice on how to prepare for the event.

Details on the prize money of AUD 15,000 and training packages of AUD 500 will also be available on the site. The marketing team will also update athletes, sponsors and any interested parties on new developments. Newspapers, magazines, television and radio advertisements will highlight the venue, date, and possible reasons to participate.

The triathlon and multisport magazine will especially be useful for this program because it will allow for a thorough explanation of the event. The marketing team will double up as a media team on the day of the event. It will work with television stations to broadcast the event locally (Xterra 2013).

The executive or administration team will consist of an organising committee. The group will be responsible for the quality, safety and fairness of the event. This committee will also liaise with the International Triathlon Committee, which will give them advice on how to implement the program. Some appointments will be imperative in this group.

The organising committee will have a president who will ensure that all elements of the manual are implemented. This executive team will consist of a technical delegate who will be responsible for the implementation of regulations and rules. Finally, it will have a chief technical official who will handle the management issues of the event.

Together, the administrative team will monitor preparations for the event by carrying out checks and regular meetings. They will delegate duties to the rest of the team and do progress updates every few weeks.

This group will also obtain approvals and permits from the local and municipal council prior to the event. They shall supervise water quality tests several times before the competition. Furthermore, they will ensure that all the team members are playing their part.

A finance team will be responsible for the collection, budgeting and management of expenditure in the team. This group will consist of a series of accountants who will make projections on potential revenue sources. Some of them will include corporate sponsors for Xterra Australia, registration fees, training fees for the coach, and municipal or government sponsors.

Suppliers who partner with the Triathlon team will also enter into a contract that will compel them to give a portion of their earnings from the event to the team. This group will also manage expenditure for the team.

This will include accommodation, security, infrastructure management, course management, insurance, medical care, and award ceremonies. They will determine the amount of money needed for each activity and ensure that all the concerned groups will collect and work on it.

The program delivery team will be responsible for operational implementation of the event. Their work will be to ensure that the quality of the event is satisfactory. They will focus on volunteer services, registration of athletes, venue management, program synchrony, awards banquets and the closing ceremony. They will report to the administrative team and receive instructions on the way forward.

First, the program delivery group will register athletes. It will ensure that they are eligible to participate, and that they have paid their full registration fees before entry into the company database. Their names will appear on the company website two weeks before the competition.

Spectator management falls under the program delivery docket. The group will organise bus schedules, road closures and warning signs for the athletes involved. In order to ensure road closures work, the group will liaise with local radio newspapers, radio stations, and blogs to advertise the information.

All access roads will have signs a few days prior to the event. Surrounding members will also receive flyers on this inaccessibility. The program delivery team will work with the media team to ensure that this takes place.

The program delivery team will also create an athlete service booth in which they will receive athletes who arrive for the event and escort them to their respective locations. They will organise the placement of personnel who will prepare the bikes, sporting equipment and gear needed to participate in the event. Athletes will receive a course map, information about nearby medical clinics and tourism spots.

Perhaps one of the most critical tasks that the program delivery team will carry out is venue management. They will look into the course design for swimming, biking and running along with their transitions. Here, design specifications for swimming must adhere to international specifications for length, depth, as well as turns and exits.

They will also ascertain that the swim-to-bike transitions occur smoothly by placing signs, and providing athletes with the right clothing for each level. In the bike course, there must be smooth corners as well as an internationally permitted incline. The same will hold for the run course. The finish area will have the necessary aesthetics and spacing needed to work effectively.

Venue management also entails having proper public address systems. The program delivery team will source high quality devices from reputable firms. It will also ensure that event announcers and commentators are in place. Medals will be presented in a designated area during an award ceremony. After the event, athletes will participate in a medical examination or doping control then they will exit to a recovery area.

The human resource team will be responsible for the recruitment, enumeration, and training of workers. Two types of workers will account for preparation of this team: volunteers and paid employees. Volunteers will be recruited through an online application process. They will receive training on the event, for the first two weeks, from the program delivery and HR teams.

They will also be encouraged to promote the event by wearing Great Ocean Triathlon t-shirts or by talking about it. Owing to the immense level of work needed to carry out this mission, it is essential to source paid employees for most of the tasks involved in event management. These will be experienced individuals who will also be recruited online.

A security team will also be instated in order to protect the spectators and the athletes from any prevalent dangers. They will ensure that things like theft, riots or fires do not take place. This group will also look into the proper flow of traffic through access roads as well as the seamless flow of traffic. For a full overview of the event organisational structure, please see figure below.

Risk management

In swimming, the temperature and water quality could be potential risk factors as they could cause illness. To mitigate this problem, the group will measure water temperature, PH and biological contaminants. Theft may also be a challenge during the event. This can be handled by having a prestart zone that will control access to the starting line.

All their (participant) belongings will be guarded by a security team, and placed in portable lockers. Additionally, only two officials will be allowed in transition areas so as to minimise the number of non-competing individuals who have access to sports equipment. If media representatives appear to compromise safety, the security team will remove them from the location.

Stampedes could also be challenges; the security team will control crowds while a program delivery team members will control athletes prior to and during the competition. For thorough safety, the police and security personnel should be present at every intersection or road.

Furthermore, there ought to be a motorcycle official, a vehicle control official as well as a lap auditor on the course. They must ensure that roads remain closed and that athletes do not intersect with moving vehicles (British Traithlon Council 2012).

Injuries are a potential source of concern in any sporting event. Therefore, the transitional areas should have properly arranged bikes and equipment in order to minimise collisions. The space between the bikes, helmets and other clothes should be sufficient to eradicate this risk. It should be a minimum of 75 cm, and must have a code number for each athlete. Crossovers between athletes should not occur in case of these transitions.

The course design and signage during the event will also mitigate this risk. For instance, courses can challenge the athletes by having hills or corners, but these should be within a reasonable limit. The number of laps that athletes can participate in must also be taken into consideration. Things like railroad tracks and bridges will not be in the course as they could cause accidents.

Furthermore, the courses will have fences, and all athletes must wear protective gear when competing. Drowning may also take place, so 15 professional lifeguards with canoes and kayaks will follow the athletes in the sea. Medical personnel will also be on standby.

Additionally, water safety boats will also support the lifeguards. In other sections of the triathlon, there will be medical personnel with cell phones and radios who can notify each other when an athlete requires urgent medical help. Additionally, ambulance services should also be present at key points.

Provisions will exist to allow the injured athletes to move with their bikes to transition areas without causing disruptions among continuing athletes. All athletes should access aid stations every 2km in the competition. Here, they can find water and other necessary supplies (Queensland Triathlon 2012).

Extreme weather could be a challenge in this sporting event. The most disturbing issue would be rain as it would cause the transition areas to become muddy. Therefore, to minimise this problem, the area should be carpeted between the swimming and biking areas as well as the biking area and running course. Bikes should be covered in the event of rain.

Bomb threats or evacuations may also be a risk in this event. The security team will have metal detectors to check all the spectators, athletes, and officials entering the Triathlon areas.

Furthermore, they will assess the whole venue prior to the event for any potential dangers. If an evacuation is necessary after establishment of a threat, then the security team will coordinate these efforts together with the police to terminate the competition.

Economic and social impact

The Triathlon will bring spectators, volunteers and athletes to Anglesea, Victoria. The participants in the triathlon have greater income streams than locals at Victoria. This comes with greater appreciation of the experiences and facilities that Anglesea has. Therefore, visitors will create an impact on the town’s economy through their stay there as well as visitation after the event.

Direct dollars from the event will emanate from the amount of money that the spectators and athletes spend on the weekend of the Triathlon. Local businesses, like groceries, restaurants, lodging facilities, and retail centres, will increase their number of sales owing to this event. It should be noted that the event will attract two types of visitors to Anglesea, Victoria.

Some of them will only come to the location for one day and go back to their homes. Conversely, others will spend the night in the near vicinity. Regardless of the category, all visitors will still spend money during the day.

Therefore, the amount of day expenditure and overnight spending will account for the total economic impact. If the event attracts 1,700 athletes, then their total expenditure may be AUD 1,399,336. Assuming that about 2,000 people accompany the athletes, the event could lead to revenue of AUD 478,003.

Indirect economic effects may also be felt through indirect business support. The event will require plenty of sporting and event supplies. Some of them may come from different parts of the country or from the local region.

They include bikes, swimming caps, running gear, swimming costumes, helmets, running shoes, goggles, bags, ambulance services, portable sanitation facilities, radio call devices, tents, podiums, seats, boats, canoes, and medicine.

Some of these devices will already be available at Anglesea, where the event management team will purchase the items. However, if the supplies are not enough, then the team will obtain them from other parts of the country. This will stimulate the economy in other parts that are not even closely tied to Victoria.

Tourism will also generate some revenue for this community. Some of the participants may decide to sightsee or visit different locations in the town. The beach is quite extensive and has accommodations that guests may visit when in the location or they could come back for the same experience. Social media will be quite helpful as most of the visitors will tweet or send Facebook messages about the beauty of the place.

This generates sales for concerned companies, and may boost the economy of the location. People’s perception towards Anglesea could change; this might lead to regular visitations even years to come. Aside from the direct economic impact, the event will also cause participants to donate money to local charities.

The event will also create a positive impact on the social well being of the community. First, most of the volunteers will come from the location. Additionally, spectators and local clubs may also want to involve themselves in the activities. These may cause residents to know each other and bond with one another.

Additionally, travellers will have a better understanding or appreciation of their country. This will strengthen visitor’s sense of nationalism.

Event evaluation

In order to assess how successful the Triathlon was, the event management team will conduct a survey among the participants. They will be asked to rate their overall experience of the event. They will also talk about the quality of the swimming, running and biking courses.

Participants will also rate the event organisation of the Triathlon. They can talk about rule clarification, training opportunities and support services. Members will also give their take on possible improvements to the event.

Since most of the participants usually come with their friends and family, it will be critical to determine what their insights are concerning the event. Therefore, another survey will be conducted among them. They will talk about their experience in the event and whether they were satisfied with the ancillary services offered to the spectators.

Aside from opinions and suggestions, the success of the event will be accessed by the number of athletes who registered and participated in the event. All must be placed in their respective categories.

Their numbers should be compared to other national triathlon events in the past. If they are close in number, then the event will have succeeded. This should also tie in with an examination of the number of tickets bought for the event. The projected revenue sources should also be within a 10% margin. These figures will indicate success on the part of the concerned stakeholders.

References

British Triathlon Council. 2012, Risk management strategy. Web.

Queensland Triathlon 2012, Triathlon event management and race operations manual. Web.

Xterra 2013, Xterra triathlon. Web.