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Yearly Archives: 2011
Dominican Republic Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Pioneering Marine Mammal Sanctuary

Santo Domingo, 9/11/2011

On Saturday, September 10, 2011 guests at the first Dominican Republic Environment Film Festival (DREFF) joined with marine mammal conservation experts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dominican Republic’s historic Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The people of the DR formed the very first marine mammal sanctuary and it has grown over the years to be about equal in size to the land area of the country.  The celebration was organized in partnership with GFDD and FUNGLODE and was held at FUNGLODE’s headquarters in Santo Domingo, preceded by the screening of the documentary film Ocean Voyageurs. The film follows a mother whale and her young calf on their sometimes perilous journey of discovery, and much of the footage presented was captured at the Marine Mammal Sanctuary off the coast of Samaná.…

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Sylvia Earle On What It Means To See Open Ocean In An Arctic Summer

The legendary oceanographer calls the Arctic a ‘hope spot.’  In other words, she said, we still have time to get it right.

You were part of the Aspen Institute Commission on Arctic Climate Change, which released a report on the Arctic in early 2011. What did the report say?

The report underscores the opportunity that now exists, as never before.  Because never before have we known the risks, never before have we understood the impacts that the Arctic has on the world as a whole, as a driver of climate, related to such broad issues as sea level rise.

The Arctic has a disproportionate impact on the world given its relatively small size. This is a moment in history when we will take actions one way or the other–or inactions–but we humans will influence much that determines the fate and future of the Arctic, the people and the creatures who live there.…

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Ted Turner, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Sir Richard Branson Unite to Form Ocean Elders

ASPEN, Colo., Aug. 25
PR Newswire
The independent group of global leaders aims to put ocean conservation at the forefront of the global agenda. Ted Turner, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Sir Richard Branson have joined together to help launch OceanElders to help put ocean conservation at the forefront of the global agenda. The newly formed non-profit organization brings together global leaders to use their wide range of experience and influence, supported by science and data, to pursue the protection of the ocean’s habitat and wildlife.
Joining Mr. Turner, Dr. Earle and Sir Richard Branson as founding Ocean Elders are Jackson Browne, Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Graeme Kelleher, Sven Linblad, Captain Don Walsh and Neil Young.
“I have a great love for the oceans and I believe that we need a plan to save them,” said Mr.…

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Swan Island Expedition Final Thoughts

Dr Earle speaking to a local delegation at the Swan Islands expedition farewell dinner, (c) Marisol Rueda

Our last day on Roatan found us preparing for the farewell dinner and fundraiser for Roatan Marine Park. A delegation of local business people and VIPs joined the expedition team for dinner at the Tranquil Seas eco-resort. Guests enjoyed an excellent dinner while expedition team leaders, Dr. Melanie McField, Dr. Rachel Graham, and Kip Evans narrated a presentation on the preliminary results of the Swan Island research. Diners were treated to amazing photographs and learned about the health and status of the Swan Islands. After the presentation, Dr Earle addressed the group, giving her perspective on the expedition, her vision for the future, and a call to action for the attendees to save this special place, to leave a legacy for future generations.…

Posted in healthy reefs, Kip Evans, shark research, Swan Island, swan island expedition, sylvia earle, Sylvia Earle Alliance |

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The Swan Island Expedition Day 07 & 08

With the expedition in it’s final stages, the reefs off Roatan gathered our focus. The Aggressor II’s crew, intimately familiar with these waters, led our divers to their next destination, Pirate’s Point. A wall dive, Pirate’s Point was dominated by gorgonians, black coral and large barrel sponges, giving divers a good taste of the deeper reefs. 

Gorgonians and sponges on the deep reef, (c) Kip Evans Photography

An important piece of the reef conservation efforts in Honduras has been the recent declaration in 2011, marking Honduran waters as a shark sanctuary. By making a strong stand against shark fishing, the Honduran government has paved the way for the recovery of sharks and the reefs they inhabit. Expedition team member Giacomo Palavicini, explains the importance of sites like Cara a Cara.…

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The Swan Island Expedition Day 06

Farewell to the Swan Islands.
The story of the Swan Islands boils down to one subject. Protection. The expedition came to the islands with high expectations. The Swan Islands are referred to as the “Galapagos of the Caribbean”, and it was that description the team carried with them in the long crossing. But the reality of the Swan Islands is that even here on this isolated island, overfishing has severely impacted the reef ecosystems. The expedition repeatedly noted a significant lack of fish.

The western side of Swan Island as seen from the air, (c) Kip Evans Photography

Dr. Sylvia Earle:
“That’s part of why we’re here in the Swan Islands, to look at the nature of this place that has periodically been fished very hard.…

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Shark Research at Swan Island 05

“I remember when there were so many sharks in the bay, we couldn’t put a hook in the water without catching a shark” recounted a patriarch fisher from the island of Utila in the Bay Islands in Honduras. This recollection of shark abundance is heard time and again with most Western Caribbean fishers over 50 years old. Today, it’s a different story. Sharks have been so heavily over-fished to feed the demand for white meat during the Lenten season and supplying fins for the seemingly insatiable demand for shark fin soup, that they are rarely encountered by today’s fishers. Sharks are seen even less frequently by divers, many of who pay thousands of dollars for the opportunity to see sharks in the wild.…

Posted in expedition, Honduras, mission blue, shark tagging, Swan Island, swan island expedition, sylvia earle, Sylvia Earle Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society |

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