The Marine Institute is celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador’s deep connections to the ocean on the eve of World Oceans Day.

The chair of the institute’s World Oceans Day Committee, Dawn Mercer, says humans don’t just benefit from the bounty of the marine environment, but oceans act as the lungs of the Earth.

“They’re circulating all the oxygen that we have, it’s a carbon sink for us, they help protect against global climate change,” she said. “So, it is a worldwide thing, but for Newfoundland and Labrador, we live on the water.”

More than 50 events are planned across the province on Saturday to mark the occasion, with a flagship, family-friendly event at the Marine Institute in St. John’s from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“People can come through our doors, they’re going to be able to pilot underwater ROVs, they can get up close and personal with some critters in our touch tanks, everybody loves that,” says Mercer, who is quick to add “just don’t squeeze the sponges!”

A list of events can be found on the Marine Institute’s Facebook page.