Saving Wild Ocean Places From the President Marine Conservation Institute is a leader in the global of Marine Conservation Institute: movement to protect and recover the integrity of vast ocean areas. We use the latest science to identify important marine When I started working ecosystems around the world, and then advocate for their to save our oceans more protection, for us and future generations. than 30 years ago, marine conservation was in its infancy. To shape the thinking of policy-makers, scientists and students, I assembled what’s now the most-cited book on marine conservation, and then the first university textbook. They were useful conversation-starters. But they weren’t enough. Marine life is in peril and we’re running out of time. We must act now to save our living oceans for us and future generations. That’s why I founded Marine Conservation Institute in 1996. Our team focuses on identifying and winning protection for the oceans’ best places, and reducing threats to them. To succeed takes expert knowledge, bold vision and resources. Thanks to our dedicated scientists and policy experts, and to other organizations who’ve joined the movement we’ve built, marine conservation is now making waves around the world. It’s not too late to save life in our oceans. If you want fish to eat, oxygen to breathe and safe, sparkling waters to swim in; if you want your grandchildren to live in a world with beautiful corals, polar bears and great whales, please help us make it happen. It’s the most important thing you’ll ever do. Covering about 70 percent of our planet, the Elliott A. Norse, Ph.D. oceans are the Earth’s largest life support system. PHOTO: NASA 1 “My grandfather would have applauded Oceans of Life, Oceans in Peril Marine Conservation Institute’s unique focus on From dazzling coral reefs to the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, protecting the world’s best ocean places.” from rich green coastal waters to the blackest depths, our oceans are home to millions of species. Philippe Cousteau Life in the oceans is essential to life on Earth. Living oceans provide a sixth of the animal protein people eat, CEO, EarthEcho International moderate our climate and generate half of the oxygen we breathe. Board member, Marine Conservation Institute Grandson of Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau They’re the source of new medicines to treat cancer and chronic pain. Their beauty inspires us. Countless millions of people come to the ocean to fish, dive, sail, watch whales and enjoy the beach. But our oceans are in deep trouble. Once teeming with fishes, oceans are being emptied faster than life can recover. Bottom trawlers rake the seafloor with huge, weighted nets, destroying fragile corals in their path. Fossil fuel use is making oceans more acidic. Millions of tons of discarded trash are killing sea turtles, seabirds and seals. Huge container ships run over endangered right whales and blue whales, making them road-kill in our shipping lanes. Saving our oceans means saving ourselves. It’s both the noblest cause and the smartest investment we can make. But bountiful oceans need champions with the courage to fight for them and the expertise to succeed. That’s why Marine Conservation Institute exists. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) entangled in discarded fishing gear in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya. PHOTO: GREENPEACE © /CARÈ © MARINE PHOTOBANK 2 3 Using the Latest Science to Save Ocean Life “Where there’s life there’s hope. No place can inspire us Some groups make headlines. Some protest. Some with more hopefulness than that great, life-making sea— file lawsuits. that singular, wondrous ocean covering the blue planet. Marine Conservation Institute identifies the best places And Marine Conservation Institute is a guardian of hope to protect. We investigate the greatest threats to these for the oceans.” places. We get governments to safeguard them. Some places provide refuge for baby sea turtles. In others, Carl Safina, Ph.D. groupers gather to spawn or whale sharks come to feed. President, Blue Ocean Institute Places for feeding and breeding are the oceans’ highest- value real estate, where marine life is most vulnerable. John Burroughs Writer’s Medal winner These ecosystems deserve special protection. Using research submarines, sophisticated geographic information systems and satellite imagery, Marine Conservation Institute scientists identify the seas’ most important ecosystems. We do this so governments will know the best places to save. It’s our unique focus… and a uniquely effective one for conserving ocean life. Dr. Lance Morgan, our Vice President for Science, preparing for a dive to the bottom of Hecate Strait, British Columbia, Canada, to find deep sea coral ecosystems. Peacock grouper (Cephalopholis argus) in coral reefscape (Kingman Reef, Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument). PHOTO: © ENRIC SALA, PH.D., NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY 4 5 Creating Hope Through Deep Understanding Everything we do is based on in-depth understanding of marine science. Our Staff has a total of nearly three centuries of professional experience. We collaborate with university researchers, government agencies, corporations, fishermen and conservationists to discover the most diverse, most vulnerable places to protect. For example: Lance Morgan, Ph.D., our Vice President for Science, directs our science team and works to identify the most diverse and vulnerable ecosystems, most recently off the Pacific Northwest and in the Central Pacific Ocean. Sandra Brooke, Ph.D., our Coral Conservation Director, uses research submarines to explore deep-water coral ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico, southeastern USA, Alaska and Norway. John Guinotte, Ph.D., our Marine Biogeographer, identifies ocean acidification threats to ecosystems and uses remotely operated vehicles and predictive habitat models to map vulnerable undersea places in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Sara Maxwell, Ph.D., our Postdoctoral Fellow, uses data from satellite-tagged sea turtles, seabirds, seals and whales to pinpoint places in the Pacific Ocean and off West Africa that need to be protected. Our scientists conduct field research to identify and map critical marine ecosystems. Then we collaborate with scientists and conservationists to get them protected… while there’s still time. Dr. Sandra Brooke about to descend into the Gulf of Mexico to study oil Giant clams (Tridacna sp.) in Kingman Reef, Pacific spill damage. Remote Islands Marine National Monument, have color PHOTO: © STEVE ROSS, PH.D. patterns as distinctive as fingerprints. PHOTO: © ENRIC SALA, PH.D., NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY. 6 7 Marine Conservation Institute “Marine Conservation Institute played an essential role in Advocates for Healthy Oceans identifying, nominating and, equally important, inspiring the Identifying especially important areas requires expert need for the President’s designation of the Pacific Remote knowledge. So does winning their protection. Our tight- knit team does both. Islands and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments.” To conserve ecosystems for us and future generations, governments now protect 12 percent of the world’s land. The Honorable James L. Connaughton Yet about 1 percent of the ocean is now protected. Chairman, White House Council That’s not enough! Our bold but achievable goal is to win on Environmental Quality (2001-2009) protection for 10 percent of the oceans by 2020. Our policy experts advocate for laws, regulations and programs in national and international arenas to safeguard the oceans’ most vulnerable ecosystems. For example: Bill Chandler, M.A., our Vice President for Government Affairs, is our master strategist for getting federal agencies to designate and better manage our National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine National Monuments. Emily Douce, M.A., our Conservation Advocate, analyzes marine conservation programs and budget needs of federal agencies, and educates policy makers about the impacts of ocean acidification. Jeff Ardron, M.Sc., our High Seas Program Director, coordinates with scientists and policy advocates around the globe to push the UN for marine protected areas and effective enforcement of laws in international waters. Kassandra Cerveny, M.S., our Legislative Director, lobbies the US Congress to appropriate funds for marine research and ocean protection, often in collaboration with other environmental groups. From polar waters to the tropics, we work to save the living oceans essential to our economy, health and well-being. Polar bear mothers and their cubs (Ursus maritimus) hunt for seals on sea ice. But the Arctic Ocean’s sea ice is shrinking, so their habitat is disappearing, making it harder for them to find the food they need. Arctic Ocean near Spitsbergen. PHOTO: © JOHN B. WELLER. 8 9 Some Key Places in the World’s Oceans Papah¯anaumoku¯akea Baja to Bering US Deep Sea Corals Sargasso Sea In 2006, at the urging of In 2003, our scientists led a tri-national Marine Conservation Institute was With an international team of IFY Marine Conservation Institute, the USA T team of experts who developed a list instrumental in winning protection conservationists, we are working established Papah¯a naumoku¯a kea Marine N of priority conservation sites from Baja for deep sea coral reefs of the to win strong protection for this de I California to the Bering Sea. PROTECT National Monument, then the world’s PROTECT southeastern USA. ADVOCATE enormous high seas ecosystem. largest strongly protected ocean area. Arctic Ocean Mediterranean Sea East Pacific PROTECTED 12%