The marine environment globally is challenged by a number of factors, including environmental degradation, habitat destruction, overfishing, and climate change, so there is a real need for protection. Under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the international community has agreed that we will protect 10 percent of the oceans in marine protected areas by 2020.
Oceans offer natural benefits that sustain coastal economies, provide diverse opportunities for the tourism sector and help to protect communities against natural disasters, amongst other benefits. Therefore, maintaining the health of these marine ecosystems is essential.
“There is tremendous potential for good here,” said Fred Collins, Administrator of the Northern
Chumash Tribal Council. “A Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will preserve and recognize
the importance of our tribal history, safeguard our shared coastal resources, and open new doors
for research and economic growth. We hope to move forward to designation as soon as possible.”
Joshua S Reichert, lead on environment initiatives at Pew, said: “World famous for its Moai statues, Easter Island will now be known as a global leader in ocean conservation.
“This announcement is an important step toward establishing the world’s first generation of great parks in the sea.”
by David Helvarg. On Wednesday April 1st a Pemex oil-rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico killing 4 workers with 3 missing and presumed dead, another 47 injured. Luckily no massive spill took place like with BP after its… Read More ›
“Today’s action by British Prime Minister David Cameron will protect the true bounty of the Pitcairn Islands — the array of unique marine life in the surrounding pristine seas,” said National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala, head of the Society’s Pristine Seas project. “Our scientific exploration of the area revealed entirely new species as well as an abundance of top predators like sharks. It was like traveling to a new world full of hidden and unknown treasures, a world that will now be preserved for generations to come.”
WASHINGTON — After more than a decade of effort by California lawmakers, the Obama administration gave final approval Thursday to a giant expansion of two marine sanctuaries off the coast north of San Francisco that will protect one of the… Read More ›
From the Marine Conservation Institute The 1st-ever quantitative, scientifically rigorous national ranking of states’ protection of their ocean waters, SeaStates: How Well Does Your State Protect Your Coastal Waters?, shows that most states and territories are failing to safeguard our… Read More ›
Neptune 911! 