Living Ocean Foundation: a 6-year coral reef expedition with hopes of making a difference

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 There are many ocean conservation organizations that support the protection of coral reefs across the globe.  Each organization does the best with the resources that they have available, ranging from scientific research to general public awareness.  My personal interest has always been in groups that are producing quantifiable results, not just fan club-like support, although each has its place.  In my experience, I have found that what moves the bar forward in terms of international and regional policy-making are results that are meaningful to the politicians and diplomats who make the decisions that can have a direct impact on the preservation of coral reefs.

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is one such organization that has been involved in an ambitious project to catalog the reefs of the world in a way that provides policy-makers with the information they need to make, hopefully, informed and responsible decisions.  The organization, founded in 2000 with considerable financial support from Prince Khaled bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia, has been involved in a six-year expedition to document the condition and health of coral reefs, utilizing a variety of media formats and standardized scientific measurement methods and protocols.

I have been fortunate to have had several conversations at past ocean conservation events with the foundation's executive director, Capt. Philip Renaud, USN retired.  With the release of the foundation's new, revamped website, I took the opportunity to address some questions to Capt. Renaud while he was on location exploring the coral reefs in New Caledonia, 750 miles east of Australia.   

RT: You’re currently on board the Golden Shadow in New Caledonia; what are you finding as to the current condition of the coral reefs there?
PR: New Caledonia holds a special place on our list of Global Reef Expedition sites. The coral reefs are in exceptionally good health here when put in context with the severity of the global coral reef crisis. The species diversity and high percentage of living coral cover are remarkable. We are presently surveying the most northerly atolls, which are called the D’entrecasteaux Atolls. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site managed by the Government of New Caledonia. There is very low anthropogenic stress on these reefs and atolls. Most notably, the top-level predators are abundant. We observe numerous sharks on nearly every dive and there are large groupers, Napoleon Wrasse, sea turtles, tuna, etc. on most dives. There are some worrying signs, however. There are quite a lot of diseased coral colonies and we discovered an outbreak of coral eating Crown of Thorns Sea stars at one small atoll.  Also, around the mainland, there is a large amount of run-off and sedimentation from the mining industry which negatively impacts water quality.

RT: You are about halfway into the Living Ocean Foundation’s 6-year commitment to the Coral Reef Expedition.  This is much more than an extended tropical dive vacation; what are the quantifiable goals that have been set forth for this expedition?  How are you serving – or intend to serve – both the scientific community and the marine policy community?
PR: The Global Reef Expedition is surveying across gradients (change) of biodiversity and anthropogenic (caused by man) stress. The data we collect will therefore permit us to separate natural disturbances from anthropogenic stress.  At the last International Coral Reef Symposium, one of the keynote speakers criticized coral scientists for not standardizing survey methods. We claim to be the first global coral expedition that is applying standardized survey protocols around the world.  Therefore, the Global Reef Expedition will provide coral reef scientists the ability to objectively compare and contrast reef health region to region and reef to reef.  We are also focusing on measuring indicators of coral reef resilience to get an understanding of whether or not coral reefs will be able to get through the climate change bottleneck. We create high-resolution habitat maps everywhere we survey to empower resource managers and accelerate the creation of networks of Marine Protected Areas.  We also only visit countries that have invited us thereby demonstrating the political will to implement conservation measures.  The Global Reef Expedition acts as an accelerant and catalyst to reef conservation.

RT: What will the general public ultimately gain from your expedition?  How do you plan to package your data for meaningful “general consumption”?
PR: The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has a vibrant film production program and we’re broadcasting films that build awareness of the coral reef crisis and also talk about solutions. We place emphasis on effectively communicating science to decision makers and the general public. We have also started an exciting new coral reef education program with interactive, turn-key curricula, a Coral Reef Educator on the Water (C.R.E.W.) Program where we take a teacher on an expedition, and we have a Science Without Borders© Challenge program where students win prizes for the best submission of multi-media projects focused on an ocean conservation theme.

RT: You have several more years to go, but at this point, what does your team see as the primary reasons or causes for the healthy reefs you have seen so far; and what is impacting the unhealthy reefs?
PR: Coral Reefs are very inter-dependent and highly complex ecosystems.  Coral Reefs need connectivity with mangroves, sea grass beds, and other reefs to stay healthy.  They also need a healthy fish population.  Fish need corals and corals need fish to thrive. Each organism on the reef plays a functional role to maintain health of the reef.  Just like a city, a coral reef has street cleaners, policemen, carpenters, plumbers, construction workers, garbage collectors, etc.  If you started removing these functional components out of your city one by one, your city would soon become a disaster.  Same goes for the coral reefs.  We’ve loved them to death for too long by extracting everything of value we possibly can.  We’ve removed the predators, scrapers, grazers, detritivores, and herbivores off the reef.  We’ve polluted, dynamited, poisoned and bulldozed coral reefs.  Now we’re cooking the reefs with global warming. It’s a very tough situation. Our Global Reef Expedition has found that the reefs that are most remote and inaccessible are without a doubt the healthiest.  And, of the reefs that are close to big population centers, those reefs afforded protection are doing much better than unprotected reefs. That being said, it seems as if no reef, no matter how remote, is immune to the long reach of man. Global warming and ocean acidification is affecting reefs everywhere now. Our hope is that if we can quickly remove many of the local stressors such as pollution, sedimentation, and over-fishing, that the natural resilience of coral reefs will prevail in the face of climate change stress (the bottleneck) until such time as the world shifts to clean energy and sustainable fishing and land use practices.   
 
RT: There’s a lot to see and do on the new Living Oceans Foundation website.  Any suggestions as to how to get the most out of it for someone new to coral conservation?
PR: My suggestion is to concentrate on the “resources” tab.  Our goal is to continue to build the resources available on our website to become the go-to source for resource managers, educators, scientists and the general public.  We’ve really just begun so visit our site frequently.  One resource I’d like to bring to your attention is the World Web Map.  This is a new and unique map application that displays all of our coral reef habitat maps with more and more coming on-line continuously.  This is a prototype application that we’re very excited about.  It is interactive and there is a data portal built in that allows anyone to download the underlying data for free. 

Source: Living Oceans Foundation website 
Source: New Caledonia

Orcas on Parade: time to close the circus of marine mamals

Throughout 2013, there has been a spike in interest as to whether or not organizations like Sea World should have marine mammals like whales, particularly orcas or "killer whales," dolphins, porpoises, and even seals and sea lions in captivity.  Part of this heightened interest has been due to the release of the documentary "Blackfish" which recently was aired to much fanfare and additional news programming material on CNN.

In the documnetary, the 2010 death of orca trainer Dawn Brancheau by the orca named "Tilikum" at Sea World's amusement park, in Orlando, Florida, was investigated.  The details leading up to that tragic incident and the subsequent aftermath was used to look at the broader history of orcas in captivity and the impact on the animals physical and psychological condition.

In past posts, I have expressed my views regarding maintaining marine mammal like whales and dolphins in captivity for entertainment purposes. (Click here, and here.)  For whatever, broad educational or even research purpose it may have served, dating back as much as fifty years, that rationale has run its course.   

My initial first-hand experience with whales and dolphins was in the early 60's at Southern California's Marineland of the Pacific, watching pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins leaping into the air and jumping through fiery hoops.  It was impressive to see such animals and to wonder if there was something more to these animals' purpose than the simple commodity by which they were being viewed by segments of the commercial fishing industry.  From those early days, the public slowly became aware of the social intricacies of these animals, their advanced forms of communication and echolocation for hunting, and their threatened existence due to aggressive whale hunting.  Attitudes and policies slowly shifted as a steady stream of scientific research and facts changed our perception of these animals, and the fate of several species have benefited significantly for it.

Through this entire process of awareness, one activity remained virtually unchanged in the face of new facts: the use of marine mammals as entertainment. What science didn't know then, we know now.  And we know better. 

While there are many aquatic amusement parks throughout the world, Sea World is by far the largest and most extensive organization.  It is involved in four different areas of research and/or entertainment: traditional aquaria, marine research, marine animal rescue & rehabilitation, and aquatic amusement park.  To give Sea World a measure of credit, it has been responsible for some significant marine research and animal rescue and rehab work.  And it has fulfilled the traditional role of combining education and entertainment through some of its aquarium settings.  However, its role as an aquatic amusement park has become its flagship activity and the most easily marketable one.  Having the public watch whales and dolphins do tricks is what Sea World is known for; it is a major revenue stream for the organization and, ironically, helps support the other activities.

From a purely business perspective, to radically alter the Sea World business model by eliminating its whale, dolphin, and seal programs, would be a very risky step.  Marine mammal shows have been a cash cow for so long, it would be hard to walk away from it.  This is the same dilemma environmentalists face in dealing with the energy companies.  Regardless of the obvious benefits to the environment from a major shift to alternative energy, the extant of change required to the established business model, the disruption of the status quo, is more than the energy companies are prepared to willingly endure.  However, if a change in public perception were to occur and, by extension, a change in attitude regarding marine mammals for entertainment purposes that equates to diminishing ticket sales, then Sea World's decision could possibly be made for them by the demands of the marketplace.

Some defenders of Sea World have compared the whale and dolphin shows to that of zoos and aquariums; that the public learns about orcas through these shows just like someone learns about tigers at a zoo.  I beg to differ.  Zoos and aquariums strive to show animals in as natural of an environment as possible, so that people can develop an appreciation for the animal in a more real world setting, seeing them behave as they would in the wild.  To be sure, zoos and aquariums are not without fault.  We have all seen animals in confinement exhibit unnatural behaviors - from the path habits of pacing big cats in bleak cages to the neurotic ticks and twitches of elephants - and there are the occasional entertainment shows with monkeys or exotic birds.  But zoos and aquariums have evolved to gain a better appreciation of their role and it has been reflected in improved exhibits for the animals' physical and psychological needs and a dedication to informing the public as to the ecological importance of the animals.  One goes to the zoo to see the tiger and marvel at an important jungle predator - not to see it jump through a hoop.

Perhaps, decades ago, going to a whale or dolphin show was the only way a person could learn anything about these animals and come away with some degree of awareness and appreciation.  However, in light of the amount of written material, pictures, and films or videos about whales and dolphins in today's information age, it is impossible to justify keeping pelagic marine mammals in confining concrete enclosures and having them leap in the air on command as the price to be paid for our knowledge and enlightenment.

But what is it about seeing a whale give a trainer a ride on its back that attracts the general public?  Why does seeing a dolphin shake its head back and forth and squeal for a hand-delivered fish fill the seats?  Why are we entertained when a sea lion balances a ball on its nose while clapping its flippers?  Sadly, people will pay money to watch these stupid tricks because, regardless of what is said at the time regarding the animals intelligence, it humors our sense of superiority.  

For some people, it is unsettling deep down to realize there are other creatures on this planet who have unique abilities that equal or even surpass our own.  We must be the dominant species, in their minds, and so they are only prepared to consider an orca as something more than a "dumb fish" if it can demonstrate it by doing something demeaning, something that it would never do on its own in its natural environment.  It does it because we, the vastly superior species, taught it to do so.  With each and every marine mammal show, consciously or unconsciously, our human arrogance is what is being put on display.

And it is that insecure pomposity with our role in the natural order of things that continues to feed Sea World's coffers.  When more people realize that no aquatic amusement park can provide suitable confinement for a marine mammal who - by virtue of its size or its echolocation, radar-like abilities - requires both space and nurturing social interaction, then organizations like Sea World and others around the world will change.  These are businesses that are providing what the public wants to see.  We must see these animals in a new light just as we must see our role and purpose on this planet in a whole new light.

We know better. 

Source: Sea World
Source: Blackfish 
Source: RTSea posts 1, 2 & 3                                        

RTSea Blog returns

In December of 2012, as administrator and chief writer for this blog, I made the decision to place it in a somewhat state of dormancy as I needed to devote more time to other projects.  Hence, RTSea Archives was born.  After posting over 950 posts, articles, and observations over a 5-year period, I felt I had done enough and I found readership was shifting to other platforms or media channels (Facebook, Twitter, et al).

After receiving a number of requests, I have decided to bring the RTSea Blog back - perhaps not as fervently as it was before as researching information and writing posts is, for me, still very time-consuming, but I hope to contribute several posts a month.

Blogs can be effective when the content is relevant and well-thought out.  I'm not interested in invective-laced rants.  Opinions and positions are fine, but let's do it in an intelligent, constructive, and respectful manner. 

Since December, I have been involved in several projects, ranging from film proposals to writing to ecotourism - and these projects will still be my primary focus.  But I hope you will check in from time to time to see what I have been up to or what observations I might have regarding what I believe to be the most pressing issue for the continued survival of mankind as a species - the conservation and preservation of the oceans.                 

2013: Looking ahead and reaching out

With the start of each new year, many of us re-calibrate our plans, our agendas, our goals.  The resolutions stack up like cordwood and many will get consumed in the fire.  But we look forward, hoping to build on the high points of the past year and sweep the lows into the dustbin of history.  Hopefully, we learn from it all because even in failure or disappointment there are life-affirming lessons.   

2012 was quite a mixed bag for me, as many years can be.  There were some glorious and gratifying highs and crushing lows both professionally and personally.  And as challenging as it can be as we get older, there is room for further enlightenment and change.  Whether it be blind optimism, determination, or naivete, I'm still propelled by the simple motivation that my friend Diana Nyad adheres to: Onward.

For this coming year, I hope to return more to what I do best as a visual storyteller.  There is an audience for what I am able to bring forth, affirmed to me by the support of friends and colleagues and by social media.  But there is also a larger audience that is still in the dark when it comes to conservation and ocean issues.  How do we reach these people?  How do we get them to taste and appreciate the passion and commitment that so many of my colleagues feel, and through that gain an understanding as to the importance of the issues at hand?  That is the challenge for 2013.

Social media is a strange bird.  On the one hand, it is a vehicle through which copious information can be conveyed, shared, and debated - whether through blogs or sites like Facebook and Twitter.  However, there are many times when I find it a bit insular, a club of like-minded individuals keeping morale up and the buzz going.  And that's fine.  We need that to stay motivated. But I keep thinking about that larger audience . . .  

Conservation and ocean issues are a tough sell these days.  With worldwide economic challenges - which have a profound impact on environmental issues, whether we like it or not - the tendency towards focusing on short-term issues and results dominates.  Conservation, while made up of a series of smaller struggles and victories, is a much greater long-term issue and commitment.  It requires forward-thinking, often way beyond our lifetimes, if we are to preserve this spaceship Earth and its finite resources.

That struggle, between looking ahead and dealing with the here and now, confronts us all.  We all must get through our day-to-day lives, pay our bills, put food on the table, and do what we must to get by.  But when we can turn our attention to issues greater than ourselves, we better ourselves as citizens of this planet.  Call it noble or call it simply survival - it is the right thing to do for those generations yet to come.

The health of the oceans, of the environment, is important to me as I see it at the top of the pyramid of challenges facing mankind.  All other causes become immaterial if we lose our life support systems.  So, for 2013, I hope you all are able to continue to fuel your passions and sense of commitment.  Bring it to the largest possible audience and let it be the catalyst that brings enlightenment and forms a new way of thinking about the world we are passing through.

Happiest of New Year's to you all!

Welcome to RTSea Archive!

Media outlets and academics, from grade school to college, are always looking for background research material.  The RTSea Archive provides a resource for searching articles and observations that cover a range of issues having to do with ocean conservation, sharks, and nature in general.  Some might be topical or time-sensitive, but many, unfortunately, represent issues that still challenge us today.

I will be less of a frequent contributor as I will be devoting attention to important projects that have been a bit neglected over the past year.  I'd like to think that what can be found in this archive is more insightful, well thought out information and not just cyberspace opinion and hyperbole. Personal blog postings will appear from time to time in my website's blog.

Please feel free to search the RTSea Archive using the two search tools listed on the site.  For those of you who have followed my contributions over the past 5 years, I truly appreciate your interest and hope that you continue to check in.

Remember that conservation is more than a fan club, a trend or a cause du jour.  It needs to be real, it needs to be proactive.  If you are dedicated, then work towards bringing it to the widest possible audience.

Cheers,
Richard Theiss
Cinematographer, Media Consultant, Project Manager
RTSea Media                  

COARE: successful regional ocean conservation group expanding nationally

Even a casual look at the ocean conservation community and one finds that there are hundreds of non-profit organizations, each addressing an issue or issues of concern and applying their best available resources to bring about solutions.

At least that's what you hope for.

COARE (The Center for Ocean Awareness, Research and Education) has in just a few years, gone from being a small regional non-profit in the San Francisco area to an organization that is being recognized nationally.  Under the direction of its founder and executive director, Christopher Chin, COARE has managed to rack up some impressive wins, particularly in its work nationally with politicians and policy makers regarding shark fin legislation.  It is an organization worth looking into when you consider those last minute, end-of-the-year donations.

I tend to put ocean conservation groups into three tiers.  The lower tier is made up of many of the smaller groups, formed by well-intentioned individuals who either lack the resources or the strategy to move themselves beyond the position of supporting troop morale.  Collectively, they can have an impact in keeping a movement fired up at the grass roots level but, for one reason or another, many can't make the transition into the mid-tier.

Mid-tier organizations have worked hard to get to a point where they now are working with the real forces of change: policy makers, government officials, and even cavorting with the "enemy" in the hopes of winning over those political and economic forces that would oppose them.  Mid-tier groups often have to work the hardest of all three tiers, as they try to expand under limited means and sometimes find themselves working alongside top tier groups; and those efforts can further tap their economic resources. 

Top tier groups are the ones with the greatest resources (financial or otherwise), the celebrities, and the clout to be heard.  Their results are very tangible and quantifiable - or they should be if they deserve our dollars in support.

Christopher Chin and his team have worked hard and taken COARE right into that mid-tier level.  It is a challenging place to be, wrestling with the mid-tier pressures of expansion: expanding the organization and expanding the economic base.  However, Christopher sees it as an exciting position to be in and is making plans to carry COARE well beyond a regional entity.

I had the opportunity to interview Christopher about the origins of COARE, what it has accomplished, and where it is going.  You can begin to appreciate the amount of work involved in propelling an ocean conservation group forward by what he has to say.

RTSea: As founder and executive director of COARE (The Center for Oceanic Awareness,
Research, and Education), what motivated you to take the step to start your own
organization? What did you see that you could provide that other organizations
perhaps couldn't?

Christopher Chin: This is a great question, Richard, and one that I think every organization should ask itself.
 
The initial inspiration for COARE occurred nearly eleven years ago while I was diving and filming in Fiji.  It's actually a story that I put in writing for the first time on our blog, and I encourage you to check it out for the full story.  To make a long story short, I had an epiphany after a meaningful and personal interaction with a bull shark.  Afterwards, when I got out of the water, I decided that I needed to do something to make a difference.

I began to collaborate with other conservation-minded folks to figure out how we could be most impactful.  After a great deal of brainstorming, data-collecting, and consideration, we realized several things.  First, the power of the individual and each individual's influence were both often underestimated.  We also realized that there were two major roadblocks to any given individual's involvement: knowledge or awareness, and belief that his or her actions will make a difference.

A person unaware of an issue or situation could not possibly be inspired to get involved - and of course, if that person believed that his or her involvement was only symbolic and would not have an impact, then that person would be less enthusiastic about being involved.

We saw that most other organizations catered to those already indoctrinated in the conservation world, and saw that there was a need to enlighten and inspire the average person, and then to show that person how easy it is to make a difference.  We like to joke that "awareness" is our middle name.

RT: COARE is based in San Francisco. Are the majority of your projects and
efforts focused regionally, in the San Francisco Bay or northern California area?

CC: COARE participates in many issues that are local to the greater San Francisco Bay Area and throughout California because it's relatively easy for us to do so.  We're volunteer run and operated, and most of our volunteer resources are concentrated in California.   However, ocean issues are of worldwide concern, and also a worldwide responsibility, so we are also very involved at the national and global levels.

RT: Regionally-speaking, what are some of the major marine issues and how are you
addressing those issues and the implications they represent for local residents?

CC: In the San Francisco Bay area, there is a natural tendency for people to take notice of the San Francisco Bay, local estuaries, and the state waters of the Pacific Ocean.  It's relatively easy for residents so close to waterways to see and understand the impacts they have on the marine environment.

A great example of how that translates into issues and action is our policy work around single-use plastic bags. 

As you may already know, the City of San Francisco was the first city in the United States to implement a ban on plastic bags.  Back in 2007, this was landmark legislation, and many cities and counties throughout the U.S. - and around the world - have since followed suit with their own bans.

We've learned quite a lot over the years, and have an improved approach to these issues.  We wanted to strengthen that original ban so that it would apply to a greater number of establishments, and so that it would address a number of previously exploited loopholes.  We worked with a number of other organizations to support an improved and expanded ordinance, and we're proud to say that the improved San Francisco ban, now one of the strongest in the nation, went into effect last month.

Industry-backed opposition often talks about how such policy will kill jobs, cause hardship, or will simply be ineffective.  At both the governmental level and on the ground, we strive to show people that these claims do not hold water.  Of course, now that these policies are in effect in various places, we can see the differences; we see less single-use waste, and people everywhere realize that it's really not an imposition to bring your own bag. 

We're based in Oakland, and we're naturally looking forward to the countywide ban going into effect next year.  Other cities and counties around the Bay Area and throughout California have similar bans, or are considering them, and we're looking forward to re-proposing and heralding a statewide measure.

RT: Many small or mid-size environmental groups will focus their resources on
grass roots initiatives. Do you focus on that target audience or do you also
work with government or regulatory agencies regarding policy making?

CC: One of COARE's principal tenets is that every single person has the power to effect change, and we wholeheartedly encourage that.  We work diligently on grassroots initiatives because we believe that conservation efforts must become more popular and ubiquitous, and that such a wave will have tremendous power to influence the way the world works.

As important as grassroots efforts are, we also firmly believe that it's necessary to build a sound framework to focus conservation efforts and provide direction for our leaders.  With that in mind, we also do a fair amount of work with governmental, regulatory, and legislative bodies to create, support, and promote sensible and effective policies.  In fact, we've become a recognized leader in environmental policy work, particularly with regard to shark conservation.

RT: Safe to say that most ocean conservation organizations have the best of
intentions and are quite adept in citing and detailing the various marine issues
we face. But my position has been that the organizations that deserve the
financial support of the general public (particularly in these challenging
economic times) are those who can provide definitive results, not just talk. So,
here's an open forum; what are some of COARE's quantitative and qualitative results?

CC: COARE has seen and shared in a number of amazing victories this past year.  In many of them, we played a notable role, but it's important to recognize that in some cases we were part of a broader team.  While our support and involvement in such efforts was integral, we were not alone in those achievements.

In some efforts, however, we stood apart, or took more of a leadership role - and we're extremely proud of our results.

Similar to last year's shark fin ban in California (in which we were intimately involved), we worked on a number of new statewide proposals this past year.  Of the all statewide bills, the only one that succeeded was the measure we sponsored and led; SB4119, which prohibits the sale, possession, and distribution of shark fins in the State of Illinois, saw tremendous success.
 
As we were wrapping things up with AB376 in California last year, a number of people asked me, "What's next?"  When I told them I had my sights on Illinois, many looked at me quizzically... what most people don't realize is that after California and New York, Illinois has the largest market for fins, and Chicago's Chinatown is the fourth largest in the United States.  What we're addressing here is the consumption side of the conservation equation, and the fin market is not about ports or fishing efforts or landings; it's about the demand.  Yes, Illinois was a big victory!
 
We attribute our success to several things.  For one, we had some key partners like The Humane Society (HSUS) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) who helped with our lobbying efforts and legislative strategy.  We're eternally grateful for their support and for their faith in our leadership and enthusiasm.

We also started off with an extremely solid bill.  We crafted the language with comprehensive ideas and goals, and it was able to withstand the scrutiny of both chambers without any substantive changes.

Another key factor in our success, and a tremendous success in its own right, is that we won the support of the Chinese community in Chicago.  In the end, we had the restaurants on board as well as the Chinese press.  In fact, some of the most positive Chinese-language articles to date covering the shark fin issue were a direct result of our campaign.

While our Illinois campaign was the only statewide initiative to reach the finish line this year, I was honored to provide testimony for a number of other measures.  In fact, my appearance before legislative bodies has been extremely persuasive, and nearly every committee before which I've testified has voted unanimously in support.

If we can convince legislators who live about as far from the sea as one can get, (some of whom have never even seen the water) that sharks and the ocean matter to them and their constituents, we can do anything!


RT: A lot of my readers are shark advocates. Can you explain what the goals and
specific components are of your "Shark Safe" program?

CC: The Shark Safe Certification Program is designed to increase public awareness of the need for shark conservation and to reduce the sale, use, and trade of shark products like shark fins, shark cartilage, and shark liver oils.

Since sharks are universally recognizable, the shark-based logo draws attention and intrigue and immediately inspires interest.  People who aren't familiar with it are drawn to ask about it - allowing for teaching opportunities.  For consumers already familiar with the program and its aims, Shark Safe certification is designed to give discerning customers confidence that their choices help protect sharks, and thus the ocean.

While The Shark Safe Program might seem to be creature specific, the Program looks at ocean conservation in a comprehensive ecosystems manner.  The use of fishing gear and practices that result in shark bycatch generally tend to be wasteful, harmful to non-target species, or destructive to habitat.  Encouraging more sustainable and sound fishing practices is better not just  for sharks, but for the ocean as a whole.

RT: There might be a passionate, committed ocean conservationist reading this who
dreams of building the next Conservation International, Oceana, or WildAid. But
we must all walk before we can run. What advice would you give to anyone who is
considering starting an ocean conservation group?

CC: One of the recent trends in conservation that I find most encouraging is that of collaboration.  Many successful campaigns have seen the use of diverse coalitions to ignite broader public and legislative support for different policies and practices.  It is such collaboration that I believe is key to the success and viability of an organization and its programs.  We must realize our common goals and work around any differences to move forward.

If someone is interested in starting their own organization, it's likely for one of two reasons:  They believe that what they want to do is not already happening; or, that it's already happening, but they want to do it differently, or better.

If it's for the former reason, I'd encourage you to make sure that what you envision is really not already being undertaken.  If there are programs or organizations already working on the issue, I'd encourage you to join or support what's already in the works. Reinventing the wheel, or designing and building a new one from scratch, takes an enormous amount of time and effort - and those resources could potentially directly serve an effective program already in existence.

However, if you're sure that you can make a difference in a new and unique way, please follow your dream, your heart, and your passion, and you'll find that there is no greater reward than knowing that you are changing the world.

RT: Where do you see COARE heading in the next few years?

CC: It's encouraging to see COARE's growth over the years, and to see that we've been embraced and welcomed in the conservation community.  New organizations are often viewed with skepticism, and the "new kid on the block" is seldom taken very seriously. COARE has continuously and consistently made meaningful impacts - all while keeping the integrity of our mission and ideals in plain view - and people have taken notice.

COARE does a tremendous amount on a very slim budget.  What most people don't realize is that we're entirely volunteer led and run.  Not a single penny has gone to our management or administration since day one.  However, we are now at a point where our growth, both organizationally and in terms of impact, could leap forward exponentially with increased capacity.  We're ready to take on staff and expand our already stable and proven process.

If you already like who we are now, what we stand for, and what we do, you're going to love us as we continue to build and grow.

Source: COARE

Getting Inspired, Inc.: CA conservation group getting the job done

Getting Inspired, Inc. is one of many regional nature conservation organizations that keep a low profile but get the job done.  The organization focuses on bringing both land and sea ecology to schools through special outdoor classes or camps.  And Getting Inspired benefits California's local marine environment by spearheading a kelp restoration project that has been responsible for the re-planting of kelp forests in areas that have been, in some cases, barren for decades.

The organization is headed up by marine biologist and sea captain, Nancy Lightowler Caruso.  I knew Nancy when I was a dive team leader at the Aquarium of the Pacific and Nancy was just getting her kelp reforestation project off the ground.  It has grown into a project that includes 7,000 schoolchildren and 400 volunteer divers who assist in the aquatic greenhouse growing of young kelp and the eventually planting of the kelp along California's Orange County coastline.

Kelp is the basis for much of California's marine ecosystem.  It is the forest that provides food and shelter for a variety of different aquatic animals.  Kelp can be impacted by storms, which dislodges the kelp from the bottom, in addition to cyclical events like El Nino warm water currents, which heats the waters beyond the ideal growth range for kelp to flourish.  But these are natural events that constitute the normal ebb and flow of the kelp forest, just like brush and forest fires can be beneficial to terrestrial forests.

However, kelp has suffered from a variety of other threats.  In some areas, sea urchins, which feed on kelp, have exploded in numbers due to overfishing of the urchins' natural predators.  Then there's coastal pollution along with the effects of climate change which produces extended periods of warm water - all have taken a toll on the kelp forests.

Besides the concrete accomplishments achieved by the ongoing kelp restoration project, Getting Inspired also works with schools to enlighten and inspire kids to understand and appreciate the natural ecosystems that make California unique in many ways.  This includes getting schoolchildren involved in kelp, abalone, and white sea bass aquaculture and even an annual trip to Yosemite where they get to learn about the importance of land-based ecosystems as well.

Getting Inspired focuses its efforts on quantifiable results.  It does not engage in a lot of promotional hype or marketing as that would draw resources away from its core mission.  That's an admirable position that many other groups could follow. (Although I think Getting Inspired could use a good facelift to their website.  But that's a minor criticism.)

What's important here is that, as I have said many times in the past, we all should support worthwhile conservation organizations.  All have passion, many are dedicated and hard-working, but I prefer to focus my support on groups which can demonstrate action that equates into solid results.  Getting Inspired is one such group here in California.  Check them out.  And use that yardstick of quantifiable accomplishments to evaluate organizations in your area.

As a fundraiser, Getting Inspired is offering a Batik button-front shirt with a colorful kelp and garibaldi pattern.  It's a great gift item (I've ordered 6) that will also help support Captain Caruso's efforts.  You can learn more on Nancy's Facebook page (click here).

Source: Getting Inspired 

Underwater Eden: new book explores the Phoenix Island Protected Area

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) came into existence in 2006.  It was, at the time, the largest marine protected area in the world and was the result of a courageous step by the government of the Republic of Kiribati - a South Pacific nation consisting of what was once known as the Gilbert, Phoenix, and Line Islands.  With scientific support from Conservation International and other research institutions, like the New England Aquarium, an area of over 157,000 square miles was designated as a protected area, including eight islands, several major submerged reefs, hundreds of square miles of corals ecosystems and vast areas of open ocean protected from commercial fishing.  In 2010, PIPA was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and, while it has been surpassed in size by other marine protected areas, it still stands as a major success in forward-thinking ocean management.

But how did such a monumental step in marine ecology management come to pass?  How did the government of Kiribati come to this ground-breaking decision?  What did marine researchers find in assessing the area?  What makes PIPA so special in terms of sealife? And what are the plans for the future?  To answer these questions, many of the people involved in the development and study of PIPA have put pen to paper and a new book will be available in November, Underwater Eden: Saving the Last Coral Wilderness on Earth.

Edited by Greg Stone, PhD., chief ocean scientist at Conservation International, and David Obura, PhD., adjunct senior scientist with the New England Aquarium, Underwater Eden details the evolution of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area from the difficult political decision-making (the formation of PIPA would entail the loss of international commercial fishing licenses totaling in the millions of dollars), the initial scientific expeditions to catalog the various species of animal and plant life - from fish to seabirds to invasive insects, to the future plans to ensure not only the health and vibrancy of PIPA but the economic well-being of the Kiribati people.

The Kiribati people figure prominently in this book.  Their culture is one that has been forever tied to the sea.  While the ocean is an important key to their survival, they also understand that the ocean, too, must survive.  Both their fates are intertwined and their commitment to PIPA is both heart warming and encouraging.  If only the rest of the planet could see the oceans through the eyes of the Kiribati people.

Through words and striking pictures from top notch photographers like Brian Skerry, Paul Nicklen, and Cat Holloway, Underwater Eden presents the treasures of the Phoenix Islands that rest just beneath the waves.  From 2000 to 2009, four scientific expeditions set out to observe the variety of sealife and document the condition of the coral reefs.  Such studies established a baseline by which the health of the protected area could be monitored and assessed.  However, even in a pristine environment, there can be threats.  Early in PIPA's history, it was impacted by shark fishing poachers (who were ultimately apprehended) and by a coral bleaching event in 2002.  Fortunately, the shark population rebounded as did the coral reefs, serving as examples of nature's resiliency when given a chance to recover.

Greg Stone has often said that through the Phoenix Islands he is able to get a glimpse as to how the oceans were a thousand years ago.  And through Underwater Eden: Saving the Last Coral Wilderness on Earth, we are able to get our own glimpse as to just what he was talking about.  Full of personal first-hand accounts, interesting sidebars, and great photos, this is a book that will strengthen the resolve of dedicated ocean conservationists and enlighten those who do not yet understand the importance of marine protected areas.

You can pre-order Underwater Eden through Amazon in its hard copy edition, just in time for the holiday gift season.  It is very reasonably priced and, most importantly, all of the proceeds go to support the Phoenix Islands Protected Area.  In bringing the back story of one of the most significant steps taken in ocean conservation, this book also provides you with the opportunity to make a contribution to preserving an amazing coral wilderness which continues to serve as a model for critically-needed protected areas worldwide.

Available at Amazon.com. 

Ocean Acidifcation: Center for Biological Diversity initiates new campaign

Ocean acidification is garnering more and more attention within the ocean conservation community.  And well it should.  It was only a few years ago that the issue started to reach a state of critical mass within the ocean advocacy community.  And as more and more research is taking place to understand its causes and effects, we are more and more coming to understand its insidious impact on the marine environment.

With today's massive amounts of CO2 being discharged into the atmosphere, the ocean itself is absorbing more and more of the carbon as it settles to earth.  Where once we thought that the ocean could actually be a storage facility for large quantities of carbon (called carbon sequestration), we now find that the amount far exceeds what the seas are capable of handling.  The result is a decrease in the pH of the ocean, making it more acidic.  That is the essence of ocean acidification.

“The havoc wreaked by ocean acidification is unfolding faster and more severely than anyone thought it would. Coral reefs are collapsing, and food chains may break apart as our oceans go through a dangerous transformation,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “If we’re going to stop this crisis from getting far worse, we’ll need national leadership at the top levels of our government.” 

The effects of ocean acidification is a reversal of many of the other threats imposed by man.  Overfishing, particularly of pelagic predators like tuna, billfish, and sharks, among other fish commercially sought after, is a top down assault on marine ecosystems.  Ocean acidification, on the other hand, works primarily from the bottom up.  The decreased pH level destroys many of the microscopic animals that make up plankton, a basic building block in the aquatic food chain.  Also animals like shells and coral that use calcium carbonate in the making of their exoskeletons are put at risk as the increased pH retards or breaks down the growth of calcium carbonate.

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has started a new ocean acidification campaign, Endangered Oceans.org.  CBD specializes in taking conservation issues to the doorsteps of government agencies by wielding the power of the courts.  Working in consort with other organizations, the Center has initiated many lawsuits and other legal actions to force U.S. government agencies to abide by the mandates that currently exist, but are often ignored, within federal and state environmental laws.  And they have a track record of many successes.

However, ocean acidification is a challenging nemesis for CBD to take on as it is a truly global issue.  The CO2 being pumped into our atmosphere - from factories, automobiles, energy plants, just to name a few - does not recognize political or geographic boundaries.  Every nation has a responsibility to act not only for they sake of their own people but for humankind as a whole - not to mention the oceans themselves.

While I was attending the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Ocean Conservation Event last month in Monterey, California, another important conference was also taking place in the same hotel and conference center.  It involved over 500 scientists who had come together to discuss the current state of ocean acidification, where it's heading, and what needs to be done about it.

"Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas are causing the oceans to acidify more and more rapidly than at any time since the extinction of the dinosaurs. It's time for actions that reduce carbon pollution in our oceans before it's too late,” said Ken Caldeira, climate scientist in the Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University. 

Learn more about CBD's Endangered Oceans campaign and circulate their new infographic (shown above, click on the image to enlarge) among your friends and colleagues - those who may not be aware of ocean acidification and the threat it imposes on the oceans and ourselves.

Source: Endangeredoceans.org
Source: CBD Press Release              

Making Waves in the Rockies: Colorado Ocean Coalition holds ocean symposium/film festival

This weekend, October 20-21, the Colorado Ocean Coalition will be holding its Making Waves ocean conservation event in Boulder, CO.  On Saturday, attendees will be entertained with films from the recent San Francisco Ocean Festival while Sunday will be an ocean conservation symposium followed by a gala honoring Jean-Michel Cousteau.

You can check out the full schedule of events at the Colorado Ocean Coalition website.

I will be attending - another opportunity to catch up with colleagues and network with people who are passionately and professionally involved in protecting our marine resources.  And it will give me a chance to gauge the attitudes and interests of people more "landlocked" or removed from direct contact with the seas.  

This isn't to say their commitment is any less.  In fact, living near the Pacific Ocean as I do, it can be refreshing to meet with people not bound to the coast who are just as committed as I am to preserving our oceans.  And if they do have a different perspective based on where they live, that can be very enlightening; it can add some color to explain positions or attitudes of the decision makers who represent these people and are involved in national or international environmental policy.  

The health of the oceans is truly a global issue whether you live in Hawaii or Iowa.  What is happening to the seas impacts food supplies, medicines, and climate - temperature, changing weather, and air quality - everywhere.

If you are in the Denver/Boulder area, come check out the Colorado Ocean Coalition's Making Waves weekend.  Maybe I'll see you there.

Source: Colorado Ocean Coalition  

Free Fall at the Edge of Space: successful jump back to our home planet

A little piece of technological history was accomplished today high - very high - over the dry scrubland of New Mexico.  Felix Baumgartner, supported by the Red Bull Stratos team of scientists and technicians, was taken aloft in a helium balloon to an altitude of over 128,000 feet - 3 times the altitude of a jetliner and the highest for any human in a balloon.  He then did what he had set out to do beginning nearly seven years ago when this project started. He jumped from the capsule he was riding in to make a free fall descent in which he reached a speed in the thin outer traces of the atmosphere of 833 miles per hour, becoming the first human to break the speed of sound (without an aircraft) at 1.24 Mach.  Opening his chute at around 5,000 feet, he safely landed in the New Mexico desert and is concluding a press conference as I write this post.

Undoubtedly, this event will be the talk of many Internet circles today and will get several days worth of news coverage.  There will be talk of what scientific data was gathered by the many sensors and equipment that both Baumgartner and the Red Bull Stratos capsule was carrying.  And there will be those that will describe it as nothing more than a high-tech stunt, which to some degree is a valid comment, akin to why do we climb that mountain? Because it's there.  

An event like this taps into the little boy adventurer in all of us.  Growing up, I wanted to be an astronaut, I watched all the space movies, had all the space models, and never missed the coverage of every launch in the U.S. space program.  Reality, though, said that being strapped into the next Apollo moon flight wasn't going to happen.  However, that didn't stop me from channeling my adventurism into something that I found equally fulfilling: an aquanaut.  And as I grew older I realized that what I was becoming involved in - the oceans and our aquatic resources - had greater consequences for myself and the planet.

So, I found myself vicariously living Baumgartner's moment in history today (beamed with spectacular clarity via live Internet feeds) but without any sense of regret whatsoever.  The same thrill that people might get by watching events like today's jump into near space, I get every time I jump beneath the waves.

Interestingly, what I saw from the video cameras perched outside of the Red Bull Stratos capsule reminded me once again of how small planet Earth is in the grand scheme of things.  How this is our home base - enclosed, encapsulated within a thin sheet of atmosphere protecting us - a truly finite ecosystem moving through the void of space.  It's all we have.

This is something that Felix Baumgartner realized as he stood on the step, looking out at the blackness of space all around him and then turning to the bright blue planet beckoning him home.  Asked by a reporter what he was thinking at that moment, Baumgartner said he thought of how small we all are.

So, congratulations to Felix, his entire crew, and to the corporate sponsors who once again proved that, as with SpaceX (the private spacecraft company supplying the International Space Station) and other companies involved in science technology ventures, non-government enterprises can often accomplish great things for science and the environment.  Ocean research needs more of that kind of commitment - funding the Aquarius undersea research lab would be a good start - as the outlays are comparatively small and the returns can be enormous and truly live saving.  

Visit the Red Bull Stratos website.    

One World One Ocean: harnessing multimedia for National Seafood Month

Two years ago, MacGillivray-Freeman Films, makers of well-received IMAX films, turned their attention to the plight of the oceans and its inhabitants.  Spurred on by the concerns voiced by leading ocean conservationists like Dr. Sylvia Earle, they formed a new foundation, One World One Ocean, and a coinciding bold media initiative to utilize a variety of mass communication tools, from 3D IMAX to online interactive programs, for the purpose of enlightening the general public to the challenges facing our marine ecosystems.

One World One Ocean is pursuing a wide range of strategies that touch on different issues.  I received information today from the organization regarding their support of National Seafood Month.  The purpose of National Seafood Month is not necessarily to promote a greater consumption of seafood - too many species are already being adversely impacted by industrial commercial fishing as it is.  No, sustainability is the keystone of this month-long recognition and One World One Ocean has launched a group of educational initiatives that cover several age groups.

Here's some of what One World One Ocean is launching:

This week, we officially kick off our GO Fish! Campaign – an effort to make National Seafood Month sustainable. Rather than hearing from us about why making sustainable seafood choices matters, we thought you should hear straight from the source.

Introducing Toro the Bluefin Tuna, a fish who’s got something to say about his current less-than-desirable situation. Don't let his surfer cool fool you -- his message is sincere.

Populations of western Atlantic bluefin tuna have declined 83% since 1950 due to overfishing. If our consumption rates don't change, many popular seafood species will likely be wiped out within 40 years.

We want to ensure that Toro and his buddies have a healthy ocean where they can thrive for decades to come.Visit our new GO Fish! hub where we’ll be sharing videos, infographics, blogs, recipes and more, throughout the month of October.

Fishing for some awesome prizes? Enter our video contest or create a sustainable seafood Pinterest board for a chance to win OWOO gear or a GoPro camera!

When it comes to protecting the ocean, even the smallest act can create a big impact. We look forward to making waves with you this October.

MacGillivray-Freeman Films is harnessing their considerable media skills to bring a variety of communication platforms as a means of educating people of all ages regarding ocean conservation.  While I do not fully agree with the idea of seafood sustainability (I advocate aquafarming), I do commend One World One Ocean for making people aware of the plight of seafood in today's high volume commercial fishing industry.

Sustainable seafood may not be the long-term solution, but it could be interim step that may buy us a little time, while we committed conservationists try to get the decision makers to get off their arses and start thinking about the future of the oceans and mankind.

Source: One World One Ocean