June
National Ocean Month
In the United States, June is National Ocean Month, a reminder that the ocean holds most of Earth's water and makes about half its oxygen.
June is National Ocean Month in the United States. US presidents began recognising it by proclamation in the early 2000s, and its roots go back to an Ocean Day declared at the 1992 Earth Summit. It is a US observance, but its message reaches every coast.
NOAA describes it as one global ocean. Regional names help with navigation, but all the water works together. In 2026 the month also marks the 20th anniversary of the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
About 71 per cent of Earth's surface is covered by water, and the oceans hold about 96.5 per cent of all Earth's water. Scientists estimate that roughly half of Earth's oxygen comes from the ocean, mostly from tiny drifting plankton.
Thailand has a large share of that ocean. Department of Marine and Coastal Resources figures reported in 2022 show 3,151 kilometres of coastline, 159,829 rai of seagrass with 13 species, and 2.86 million rai of mangrove forest.
Wherever you live, you can help. Cut down on single-use plastic, keep litter out of drains and rivers, and choose sea trips that keep a respectful distance from marine animals.
The ocean also gives us shells, and many end up as waste. More than 50,000 tonnes of green mussel shells are discarded in Thailand each year. From Waste to Wonder at AVALON Artisan Gallery means reclaiming them as MyraShell and MyraGem.
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