From Blue Frontier Campaign

The Blue Frontier Campaign was founded in 2003 by David Helvarg, author of Blue Frontier – Dispactches from America’s Ocean Wilderness, The War Against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, Rescue Warriors, and Saved by the Sea. It works to support seaweed (marine grassroots) efforts at the local, regional, national and global levels, with an emphasis on bottom up organizing to bring the voice of citizen-activists into decision-making that will impact our public seas. There are now over 2,000 blue groups and agencies working on ocean and coastal conservation but too often operating in isolation, and with little coordinated effort among them. Blue Frontier’s mission is to strengthen this ocean constituency through building unity, providing tools to, and enhancing public awareness of both the challenges and solutions being offered by these groups. Among other accomplishments, to date it has:

• Organized a 4-day Blue Vision Summit in 2009 and a 3-day Blue Vision Conference in 2004 that drew hundreds of ocean leaders to Washington D.C. to develop strategies for protecting our public seas and to meet with their elected representatives.
• Helped organize a number of regional meetings and ‘Celebrations of the Sea’ in response to local concerns.
• Helped mobilize public turnout and a ‘Wear Blue for the Oceans Day’ in support of strong National Ocean Policy in 2009 and 2010 working with both grassroots activists and government leaders.
• Published several books including ’50 Ways to Save the Ocean’ and ‘The Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide’ that have now gone out to tens of thousands of people and are used by a number of blue groups, schools and libraries.  BFC President David Helvarg also wrote ‘Rescue Warriors’ about the U.S. Coast Guard and ‘Saved by the Sea’ a memoir that includes the story of the Blue Frontier Campaign.
• Produced a website (www.bluefront.org) that was updated in 2010 and includes a regular ocean policy e-newsletter called ‘Blue Notes.’
• Established the Blue Frontier/Peter Benchley Awards that are the only marine oriented environmental awards in the nation that reach across many sectors to recognize outstanding individuals working for ocean protection.  Categories include, science, policy, media, youth, exploration and ‘Hero of the Seas.’
• Done extensive public speaking appearances and media outreach to spread the story of our oceans at risk and what individuals can do to make a difference.  David Helvarg and other Blue Frontier staff and board members have spoken to hundreds of groups in the U.S. and overseas and write for and  been quoted in a wide range of national and international print and broadcast media.
• Won Coastal Living magazines 2005  Leadership Award and the 2007 Herman Melville Award.