| |
|
|
|
|
Links
|
|
|
|
Ocean Project Updates
|
|
|
|
|
Celebrate World Ocean Day
|
|
| | Just 79 days left, plan your event now! |
|
|
|
Ocean Greetings!
|
|
The Ocean Project provides this e-newsletter as a free service to 2,601 contacts at zoos, aquariums, museums, conservation organizations, schools, agencies, and others involved in our Partner network.
We hope you will find these news updates, resources, events, and opportunities for action useful in your work and life. Please forward widely and encourage colleagues and friends to subscribe!
|
|
|
|
Free sustainable seafood dinner for your thoughts!
|
The Ocean Project values your feedback! The strength of our partner network depends on your satisfaction and involvement. We're interested in helping you be as effective as possible at communicating for conservation with your visitors and the public.
Please share your thoughts about our performance and your suggestions to make The Ocean Project most useful to you. The survey will take less than 10 minutes, and you could win a sustainable seafood dinner for two! Each person who completes the survey will be entered into a raffle.
Take the survey here and thanks!
|
|
Secret plan to let Japan resume whaling
|
By Geoffrey Lean and Jonathan Owen
The Independent/UK - March 9, 2008
Controversial plans to lift the worldwide ban on whaling were presented to a secret meeting of more than 70 governments in London last week.
The plans, which have alarmed environmentalists, have been welcomed by both pro- and anti-whaling governments and seek to lift a long stalemate over hunting, enabling Japan officially to resume commercial whaling for the first time in more than 20 years. The plans would permit the world's main whaling nation to carry out a limited hunt in waters close to its shores. In return, Japan would have to stop exploiting a loophole in international law, through which it kills hundreds of whales around Antarctica each year under the guise of "scientific research".
The plans - drawn up at another unpublicized meeting in Tokyo last month - were presented by the governments of Argentina and the Netherlands to a closed three-day session of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at the Renaissance Hotel near Heathrow airport, which ended yesterday.
Participants at the Heathrow session were forbidden to disclose anything about the discussions designed to "find a way out of the impasse" over whaling and "seek ways to improve how negotiations within the IWC are conducted". An IWC spokeswoman flatly refused to comment on the plans, saying that they were not part of the formal proceedings. However, delegates admitted there had been informal discussions. "There is a big push. People are saying there has to be a solution," one delegate said, on condition of anonymity.
Read the full story.
|
|
Corals in "green" home at the new California Academy of Sciences
|
By David Perlman
San Francisco Chronicle - February 22, 2008
Marine biologists settled 15 species of precious coral into the world's largest reef tank at the new California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park on Thursday, handling them so delicately that they might have been diamonds.
The great migration of thousands of plant and animal species - both living and dead - that have been on public view and in temporary storage for the past three years at the Academy's temporary Howard Street home has begun. Over the next seven months, with each move as delicate as the first, the team of biologists will bring 2,000 more coral colonies and more than 4,000 fish to their new home. Read the full story.
The California Academy of Sciences is expected to reopen at its new Golden Gate Park location on Sept. 27, 2008. The new Academy of Sciences will provide a very "green" home to land and sea creatures alike. The Academy has made it its mission to build "green" with "wise use of resources, conservation efforts and innovative design." Operations at the Academy will also be "green". To avoid further impact on coral reef systems, for example, the reef tank will only be stocked with corals that have been donated by other aquaria or confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency.
Learn more about California Academy of Sciences' "green" efforts.
Photo credit: California Academy of Sciences.
|
|
In Dead Water - climate worsens outlook on world fisheries
|
UNEP Press Release
February 22, 2008
Climate change is emerging as the latest threat to the world's dwindling fish stocks a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) suggests. At least three quarters of the globe's key fishing grounds may become seriously impacted by changes in circulation as a result of the ocean's natural pumping systems fading and falling. These natural pumps, dotted at sites across the world including the Arctic and the Mediterranean, bring nutrients to fisheries and keep them healthy by flushing out wastes and pollution.
The impacts of rising emissions on the marine world are unlikely to end there. Higher sea surface temperatures over the coming decades threaten to bleach and kill up to 80 per cent of the globe's coral reefs-major tourist attractions, natural sea defenses and also nurseries for fish. Meanwhile there is growing concern that carbon dioxide emissions will increase the acidity of seas and oceans. This in turn may impact calcium and shell-forming marine life including corals but also tiny ones such as planktonic organisms at the base of the food chain.
The findings come in a new rapid response report entitled In Dead Water which has for the first time mapped the multiple impacts of pollution; alien infestations; over-exploitation and climate change on the seas and oceans. "The worst concentration of cumulative impacts of climate change with existing pressures of over-harvest, bottom trawling, invasive species infestations, coastal development and pollution appear to be concentrated in 10-15 per cent of the oceans," says the report. This 10-15 per cent of the oceans is far higher than had previously been supposed and is "concurrent with today's most important fishing grounds" including the estimated 7.5 per cent deemed to be the most economically valuable fishing areas of the world, it adds.
Read the full story.
Download the full report.
|
|
2007 U.S. Ocean Policy Report Card released
|
The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative released its third annual U.S. Ocean Policy Report Card on February 27, 2008. The Report Card assesses the nation's progress in 2007 toward implementing the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, as well as the actions described in the Administration's U.S. Ocean Action Plan.
The objective of the U.S. Ocean Policy Report Card is to inform policy makers and the public of the critical challenges facing our ocean while identifying the many opportunities that are ripe for action.
The 2007 U.S. Ocean Policy Report Card concludes that while state and regional initiatives continue to move forward on ocean governance reform, the lack of significant progress at the federal level to commit adequate funding and affect meaningful ocean policy reform hinders national improvement.
Download the full Report Card.
|
|
First Encyclopedia of Life pages unveiled
|
Encyclopedia of Life news release
February 26, 2008
The first 30,000 pages of a massive online Encyclopedia of Life were unveiled (February 26).
Intended as a tool for scientists and policymakers and a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the living world, the EOL is being developed by a unique collaboration between scientists and the general public. By making it easy to compare and contrast information about life on Earth, the resulting compendium has the potential to provide new insights into many of life's secrets.
In essence, EOL will be a microscope in reverse, or "macroscope," helping users to discern large-scale patterns. By aggregating for analysis information on Earth's estimated 1.8 million known species, scientists say the EOL could, for example, help map vectors of human disease, reveal mysteries behind longevity, suggest substitute plant pollinators for a swelling list of places where honeybees no longer provide that service, and foster strategies to slow the spread of invasive species. Most importantly, the EOL will be a foundational resource for helping to conserve the species already known and to identify millions of additional species that haven't yet been described or named.
Drawing upon its collaboration with the Catalogue of Life and Tree of Life projects, EOL's infrastructure now includes placeholder pages for 1 million species, of which 30,000 have been populated with detailed information. In addition, about two dozen highly developed multimedia pages are presented as examples of what to expect in time throughout the EOL. The rapid progress to date was congratulated by Harvard's E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, who articulated the need for a dynamic modern portrait of biodiversity in a widely read essay in 2003.
Read the full story.
Check out the EOL website.
|
|
Nonprofit sector needs to nurture tomorrow's leaders, study says
|
By Philip Rucker
Washington Post - March 3, 2008
The nonprofit sector is facing what experts call an unprecedented crisis in leadership, with organizations in the Washington region and across the country struggling to recruit and retain talented staff. Even as baby boomers retire, nonprofit groups stand to lose ambitious young employees who feel underpaid, overwhelmed by long hours and demanding responsibilities, and frustrated by a lack of career progression, according to a major study to be released today.
The sobering report, Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out, could shake up the nonprofit sector, which has been successful at recruiting recent college graduates but not always at keeping them. People are drawn to work in the nonprofit sector because of the social change mission and the potential to make a positive impact on the community, and the survey finds that such workers remain deeply committed and inspired. But nonprofit organizations are not doing enough to retain them, said Patrick Corvington, a co-author of the report and a senior associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. "Next-generation leaders are finding ways to get involved in social change and do good work," Corvington said. "But they're finding ways to do that outside of the sector."
The study's authors recommend that nonprofit groups provide mentors and help employees meet leaders of similar organizations. They also suggest that nonprofit groups offer better salaries and benefits when possible and restructure organizations to give younger staff members more responsibility and create a more evident career track.
Read the full article.
Download the full report.
|
|
Public sends mixed signals on energy policy, according to new poll
|
Climate change is a major threat to the future health of our ocean and society. The public's opinion regarding energy policy will be significant in determining the extent of climate change, and thus the impacts on our world ocean. Better understanding the public's opinion is the first step in changing perceptions and energy consumption behaviors, which will also benefit of the ocean.
Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
March 6, 2008
At a time of rising energy prices, the public continues to be conflicted in its overall approach toward energy and the environment according to the latest nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Feb. 20-24 among 1,508 adults. A majority of Americans say that developing new sources of energy, rather than protecting the environment, is the more important priority for the country. However, when asked specifically about energy policy priorities, 55% favor more conservation and regulation of energy, compared with 35% who support expanded energy exploration.
As in recent years, specific policies that address both energy and the environment draw overwhelming support. Nine-in-ten Americans favor requiring better auto fuel efficiency standards, while substantial majorities also support increased federal funding for alternative energy (81%) and mass transportation (72%).
By contrast, there is greater division over other energy policies. A majority (57%) favors increased federal funding on ethanol research, but support has fallen over the past two years (from 67% in February 2006). The public continues to be almost evenly split over the idea of promoting more nuclear power (48% oppose vs. 44% favor). And a majority (53%) opposes giving tax cuts to energy companies to do more oil exploration.
With gas prices already high and expected to increase, the public overwhelmingly rejects boosting gas taxes to encourage carpooling and energy conservation. By greater than three-to-one (75% to 22%), Americans oppose raising gas taxes.
Read the full story.
Participate in World Ocean Day 2008: "Helping our climate/helping our ocean" with a special focus on coral reefs.
|
|
Help move the tide on OCEANS-21 legislation
|
The ocean and resources under U.S. jurisdiction are managed under 140 different laws, implemented by 20 federal agencies, without an overarching vision or coordinated implementation of that vision. Our ocean, and the economies and communities they support, deserve better. Addressing this clear gap was the major recommendation of two recent reports, one issued by the independent Pew Oceans Commission and the other by the congressionally established, presidentially appointed US Commission on Ocean Policy.
OCEANS-21 provides a solution. OCEANS-21 (HR 21: Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act) would establish the first comprehensive national ocean policy if passed.
Among other things, OCEANS-21 will:
- Establish a comprehensive National Oceans Policy and guiding principles for use and management of the U.S. marine environment, including the Great Lakes, and their resources;
- Formally codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), strengthening its important mission and functions;
- Promote ecosystem-based, regional ocean governance;
- Enhance responsible ocean stewardship through education, information collection, and citizen involvement; and
- Establish an Oceans and Great Lakes Conservation Trust Fund to support the purposes and policies of this Act.
To help pass OCEANS-21 click here.
Learn more about OCEANS-21.
|
|
Mapping North American environmental issues
|
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation works with key mapping agency partners in Canada, Mexico, and the United States to promote understanding of significant continental-scale environmental issues through the North American Environmental Atlas.
Available map layers include renewable energy capacity, priority conservation areas, and other environmental themes. The CEC is also exploring innovative mapping techniques for these layers, including the industrial pollutant mapping tool recently released for use with Google Earth. Certain printed maps are available by request. For example, a wall map of the major watersheds of North America is now offered.
Photo credit: Commission for Environmental Cooperation.
|
|
Once Upon a Tide: Using storytelling to connect to the ocean
|
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Linda Hunt, Once Upon a Tide, a ten-minute modern-day fable, employs highly creative techniques to impart the message that all life on Earth, including our own, depends on the marine environment. Unlike conventional natural history documentaries, the film blends the moral and visual elements of a fairy tale to inspire us to recognize the importance of ocean conservation. Once Upon a Tide will be shown in aquariums, museums, theaters and schools nationally and internationally.
Once Upon a Tide was produced by the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, an Ocean Project partner, working with award-winning filmmakers (Sea Studios Foundation) and animation studio (LAIKA/house).
Once Upon a Tide premieres today at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The Center is pleased to announce a new website - www.healthyocean.org - to complement Once Upon a Tide.
|
|
Strange Days on Planet Earth - Season II
|
Sea Studios Foundation and Academy award nominee Edward Norton, join forces for another fast-paced season of National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth.
Airing April 23rd, 2008 this new season exposes the profound global consequences of our simple everyday actions with a focus on our changing world ocean and increasingly threatened water supplies.
In two sensational hours, entitled Dirty Secrets and Dangerous Catch, the series hurtles the viewer into a new set of compelling mysteries and inspiring solutions--revealing the strange and often unpredictable consequences of the pollutants we pour into our waters and the myriad life we pull out.
Strange Days on Planet Earth - Season II premieres April 23 on PBS.
For more information visit PBS's website.
|
|
Thank You Ocean Report podcasts
|
The California Thank You Ocean Campaign, designed to instill a sense of personal connection and responsibility to our ocean and coast, announces the launch of the Thank You Ocean Report podcasts.
The podcasts discuss how the public can protect the ocean and highlight issues important in ocean and coastal management. The first podcast focuses on the Thank You Ocean campaign itself, followed by podcasts on marine debris, marine protected areas, and the West Coast Governors' Agreement on Ocean Health. A new podcast will be posted approximately every 2 weeks.
Listen and subscribe to the podcasts by going to http://www.thankyouocean.org/podcast and clicking on the podcast feed of your choice (I-Tunes, Yahoo, Google, etc.).
|
|
National Environmental Education Week - April 13-19, 2008
|
National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is the largest organized environmental education event in the United States. EE Week increases the educational impact of Earth Day by creating a full week of educational preparation, learning, and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature centers, zoos, museums, and aquariums.
Any formal or non-formal educational institution or organization that works with K-12 grade students is eligible for partnership in EE Week. In 2007, over 1,450 schools and non-formal educational institutions across the country organized EE Week events. Collectively these organizations served over 3.5 million K-12 grade students with environmentally-themed lessons and activities that positively impacted the environment and encouraged environmental stewardship among young people.
For more information about participating in EE Week 2008, visit the EE Week website.
Photo credit: National Environmental Education Foundation.
|
|
World Ocean Day just 81 days away
|
World Ocean Day 2008 is just over two months away - on June 8th - and there is still time to plan a World Ocean Day event!
World Ocean Day allows us to collectively engage the global audience in protecting and conserving the ocean we all share.
In order to better make the connection between climate change and ocean health, this year we are encouraging Partners to focus on "helping our climate/helping our ocean" with a special focus on coral reefs to strategically take advantage of International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2008.
We are continuing our collaboration with the World Ocean Network in promoting World Ocean Day. Together, we are striving for its official recognition by the United Nations and have a petition that we hope you will sign and share.
Visit the World Ocean Day Website for more information, including a suite of event ideas. Once you have your plans please list your event for promotion.
Photo credit: The Ocean Conservancy.
|
|
Special thanks to Landry's Restaurants!
|
The Ocean Project extends an ocean of thanks to Landry's Restaurants for their contribution to The Ocean Project as a Sustaining Partner over the past four years.
Check out Landry's Restaurants.
Sustaining Partner contributions go directly toward helping us continue our conservation education work with you and our other Partners around the world!
Learn more about becoming a Partner in The Ocean Project's growing global network.
Learn more about becoming a Sustaining or Supporting Partner
|
|
|
|
|