Andy Sharpless
CEO, Oceana
I am passionate about saving the oceans and feeding the world. At Oceana, the largest ocean conservation organization, we campaign to win policy victories that will restore ocean abundance so fisheries can serve as a sustainable source of protein for people around the world.
We can make our oceans abundant again by implementing science-based fisheries management, which includes setting catch limits, reducing bycatch, and protecting habitats. Studies show that effective fisheries management can significantly increase the amount of wild seafood caught worldwide. This will enable hundreds of millions of people to enjoy a healthy seafood meal each day.
oceana.org
Mehgan Heaney-Grier
Freedive Champion. Adventurer. Marine Conservationist. Biologist Star of Treasure Quest: Snake Island Leader of the Ocean Ambassadors for the Colorado Ocean Coalition
I am passionate about my family, adventure, good wine, nature and the outdoors, sharks, the ocean, and working hard to preserve it all for future generations.
My take on saving the oceans:
1) THINK. LEARN. ACT. The more you know, the better and more educated choices you have the opportunity to make.
2) Understand how all things are interconnected, including you. Then see #1.
3) Never, ever lose hope. We must not lose hope. If, by chance, you find that you are losing hope, tap back into those who inspire you. Then see #2.
Photo: Courtesy of freediver.com mehganheaneygrier.com | freediver.com
Shawn Heinrichs
Photographer/ Filmmaker/ Conservationist, Blue Sphere Media
My love of the ocean fuels me, and I am captivated by its grace and beauty. People only protect what they love, so I am on a mission to capture inspiring and dramatic imagery that connects the global community to the beauty and vulnerability of threatened marine species. Through this connection, I hope the world will share my passion and be inspired to act before it is
too late.
So what can you do? Be the change you wish to see in the world—learn, engage, act, and make sustainable choices in your consumption, energy usage, and waste disposal.
bluespheremedia.com | shawnheinrichs.com
Amber Jackson & Emily Callahan
Co-founders, Blue Latitudes LLC
There comes a time when the useful life of an oil platform comes to an end, and that’s when we dive in! We are environmental scientists on a mission to
inform the public and policymakers on the ecological and economic benefits associated with repurposing
an offshore oil platform as a reef through the Rigs to Reefs (R2R) program in California.
We believe that repurposing these rigs provides a silver lining to the realities of offshore oil and gas development. We want to empower the public and policymakers with our research so that they can make informed decisions on future management of ocean resources.
rig2reefexploration.org
Barton Seaver
Chef. Author. Director, Healthy and Sustainable Food Program, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
I am passionate about exploring the confluence of environmental and human health. I believe that the goals of conservation must constantly revisit a stated purpose. All too often we fail to ask what we are trying to sustain. Ultimately, sustainability must be measured by the endurance of thriving human communities.
For too long we have placed an irrational burden upon our oceans by demanding only a narrow selection of species, which has led to unsustainable fishing and economic practices. If we instead ask the ocean what it is willing to supply, we engage in an inherently more sustainable relationship.
bartonseaver.org
Charlotte Vick
Strategic Partnership Director and Google Ocean Content Manager, Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance
I’m passionate about our ocean! It’s fundamental to all known life systems on our planet, whether land, sea, or atmosphere. It’s the planet’s quintessential life-giving feature, interacting with sun, planetary rotation, and chemical and physical material found in, on, and below our thin Earth crust. Ocean is essential to life here. We are not.
Action based on knowledge achieves results. Don’t know Earth’s water and carbon cycles? Google them. Need inspiration? Observe nature around you. Looking for a starting point? Explore websites like our Google Earth page. THINK! Teach children truths they must know: to learn, love, and respect
the global ocean.
Photo: Tracy Anderson Photography
mission-blue.org/google-earth | mission-blue.org
Danni Washington
Media Personality
Co-founder, the Big Blue & You
My life work focuses on raising awareness within communities of color about the importance of the oceans and what we can do collectively to reconnect with the most important source of life on this planet. I am passionate about empowering youth to become stewards of the natural world through digital media, events, and workshops. I believe that we can save
the oceans by taking individual responsibility for
our daily actions. Actions like bringing your own shopping bag or reducing the demand for other single-use plastics like straws and utensils can help eliminate the stream of pollution in our waters.
Photo: Erica DiGiovanni
danniwashington.com | sealovebelove.com
David Doubilet
Underwater Photojournalist,
National Geographic
My passion is to open people’s eyes to the sea using the power of photography as a universal language to convince the unconvinced among us that the oceans
are fragile and finite. As the oceans go, so do we.
I have learned that images have the power to educate, honor, humiliate, and illuminate. We can produce imagery to share the beauty of the oceans and what is there to protect. We can also expose the truths about overharvest, climate change, and habitat loss to give oceans a voice.
Photo: Gary Bell
daviddoubilet.com
Dan Laffoley
Marine Vice Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature
I’m passionate about protecting our ocean. We now know we have depleted the ocean and abused its bounty in the past. We also know it is central to our well-being. So protecting it, allowing it to recover and sustain us, is the key to future health and prosperity.
Lend your voice to safeguarding its special places through projects that establish Marine Protected Areas. Reduce your ocean footprint—safely recycle plastics on land, avoid using cosmetics that harm the seas, and if you eat fish only eat those that come from truly sustainable sources.
danlaffoley.com | iucn.org
Robbyne Kaamil
Actress. Comedian. Activist
I am passionate about water and the life it gives. The human body can’t survive for more than three to five days without water. Water is crucial to our existence and our Earth can’t survive without our oceans.
We can save the oceans by not using disposable products. Plastic bags, containers, and bottles become ocean trash. We wouldn’t like it if our neighbors used our living rooms as their garbage dumps. But that is exactly what we do to all the sea life when our garbage ends up in the ocean.
Carl Safina
President, The Safina Center
The creatures of the sea hold special mystery, and they are among the most exciting, graceful, and beautiful on Earth. Just consider the living riot of a coral reef, the beauty of an albatross, the awesome power of a giant turtle, the grace of a dolphin. Now multiply that by the millions of creatures in the sea. Wow!
To save the seas, we can eat sustainably and be conscious of the seafood we eat. Try to cut down drastically on plastic. Recycle. Use less energy and more renewable energy. We can all live
better by doing better for ourselves and the sea!
safinacenter.org | carlsafina.org
Tracey Read
CEO/Founder, Plastic Free Seas
My passion is caring for the oceans! The best part of my job is connecting people to the sea and the myriad life it holds. We want trash-free seas for our children, and
by exposing people to the problems of plastic marine pollution we can inspire
and empower them with solutions.
Ocean cleanup starts on the land; through our purchases and actions we can have a positive or negative impact. It is time to rethink our behavior: the easiest thing we can all do is to say NO to single-use disposable products, buy less, and waste less.
Photo: Wyman / Weekend Weekly Magazine
plasticfreeseas.org
Judi Lowe
Ph.D. Candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
I’m passionate about the impact of dive tourism on coral reefs and the livelihoods of local fishers in less developed countries. Divers travel to enjoy coral reefs, fish, sharks, whale sharks, manta rays, and turtles. The world’s most beautiful coral reefs lie in the tropics, roughly around the equator. The same locations are home to many of the world’s poorest people, who rely on coral reefs for food security and income. Dive tourism must diversify the livelihoods of local fishers, reducing reliance on coral reefs. My research builds a best practice model of dive tourism for marine conservation and livelihoods.
coralcoe.org.au | thedivetourist.com
Octavio Aburto
Assistant Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Professional Photographer, International League of Conservation Photographers
I believe that I can make the biggest contribution to conservation and management issues for marine ecosystems in Mexico and worldwide by translating natural history and scientific issues into images that can directly impact and influence public perception, practices by local people, and government policy.
We have four urgent actions to make: 1) complete protection of 20 percent of all oceans, 2) complete
fishing ban of shark species, 3) strict fisheries regulations for sardines and anchovies, and 4) no more trawling fishing. With these four actions, we can recover the oceans’ productivity in just one decade.
Photo: Catalina Lopez
scrippsscholars.ucsd.edu/maburto/ | octavioaburto.com
Joe Kistel
Founder/Director, TISIRI
I am passionate about spreading the awesomeness and importance of ocean environments. As director of TISIRI, I am able to facilitate habitat creation projects as well as underwater reef repair initiatives.
I do my best to visually capture these efforts to create short documentaries that demonstrate the importance and necessity for ocean conservation programs.
The health of our oceans can benefit from a “treat it like we need it” global attitude. Awareness is critical; most do not have an in-depth relationship with our oceans. Increasing the understanding of ocean health will increase appreciation and lead to better care of offshore resources.
Photo: Larry Davis
tisiri.org
Sven-Olof Lindblad
Founder/CEO, Lindblad Expeditions
I’m passionate about trying to find creative ways to engage people with nature and the environment, both from the perspective of finding wonder and inspiration and to recognize the essential value healthy natural systems provide to people.
To make a change, first embrace the fact that we need a healthy ocean in order to survive and thrive. Then become active in whatever way acts on that belief. There is no single answer; it’s complex. I have chosen to focus on supporting National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Program, which is committed to working with governments and other partners to create large marine protected areas.
expeditions.com
Leesa Cobb
Executive Director, Port Orford Ocean Resource Team
I believe it’s critical to connect people on the coast to stewardship of the ocean right out their front door. We need to take responsibility for where we fish, surf, and play on the beach. It’s everyone’s ocean, but we have a special responsibility to protect our place.
What can we do? Engage. The time to speak up and step up to help the ocean is NOW. Join an organization that works to protect the ocean from pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. Write to your elected representatives and let them know a healthy ocean is critical to life on this planet.
oceanresourceteam.org | posustainableseafood.com
Courtney Mattison
Chef. Author. Director, Healthy and Sustainable Food Program, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
I am passionate about exploring the confluence of environmental and human health. I believe that the goals of conservation must constantly revisit a stated purpose. All too often we fail to ask what we are trying to sustain. Ultimately, sustainability must be measured by the endurance of thriving human communities.
For too long we have placed an irrational burden upon our oceans by demanding only a narrow selection of species, which has led to unsustainable fishing and economic practices. If we instead ask the ocean what it is willing to supply, we engage in an inherently more sustainable relationship.
bartonseaver.org
David E. Guggenheim, Ph.D.
Founder/President, Ocean Doctor
The oceans naturally inspire passion, and I still feel the same wide-eyed amazement I did as a boy from the profound mystery and incredible beauty the oceans inspire. Today I’m passionate about exploring and protecting the oceans internationally, especially around Cuba, while discovering incredible colleagues and friends who share the passion.
Never stop asking annoying questions. Each of us has a powerful agent of change we carry with us everywhere: our wallet or purse. Ask your grocer or restaurateur about the fish they’re serving. Ask resorts if they’re sustainable. In unison our words will reach the decision makers and change the world!
Photo: J-P Balas
oceandoctor.org
Patty Elkus
Board Member, Directors Council, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance. Global Advisory Council, BLUE Ocean Film Festival
My passion is bringing together talented yet disparate ocean leaders—a matchmaker for the oceans. An Antarctic trip with the Birch Aquarium at Scripps was my epiphany on ocean health.
Since then I’ve worked with ocean leaders, including iconic oceanographer Professor Walter Munk, Dr. Margaret Leinen of SIO, and Dr. Sylvia Earle, to disseminate critical science in layman’s terms for the public at large. With knowledge comes power, as well
as the ability to conserve marine life and protect ocean environments.
The key to saving our oceans is public awareness and providing tangible tools to enact real conservation and protection. Ocean Convergence!
Paul Butler
Senior Vice President, Rare
One-sixth of our global population relies on fish as a primary protein source, yet almost every fishery is under stress with stocks in decline. One of the great challenges in marine conservation is open access for fishing and the “race to fish” mentality as fish stocks decline.
Instead of racing, local fishermen should receive exclusive access to a designated fishery area. Granting exclusive access can then spur a sense of local ownership of the area, and local fishers and community members will have a clear reason to take up conservation measures. Along the way, fishers become better stewards of the ocean.
rare.org
Ellen K. Pikitch, Ph.D.
Professor/Executive Director, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, Stony Brook University Board Member, Ocean Sanctuary Alliance
Our use of the ocean is way out of balance. About 99 percent of the ocean is open to fishing, with a small remainder fully protected. New science shows that leaving more fish in the ocean would enhance its worth by increasing tourism revenues, employment, and fisheries production.
The creation of sanctuaries is a trifecta for saving the ocean. Sanctuaries enhance resilience to climate change, provide a safe haven for marine life to flourish, and sustain fisheries outside their boundaries through spillover. This fall, the nations of the world will vote on a commitment to expand sanctuaries globally.
oceanconservationscience.org | oceansanctuaryalliance.org
Debbie Kinder
CEO/Co-founder, BLUE Ocean Film Festival
I knew I wanted to be involved in ocean conservation, but there are so many issues that I didn’t want to choose just one problem to devote my time to, because they are all so interconnected.
Visual media is the most powerful tool we have for raising awareness and inspiring action. It’s how we can reach a global audience in a short span of time and in such a way to help everyone understand very complicated issues.
blueoceanfilmfestival.org
Roderic B. Mast
President/CEO, Oceanic Society. Co-Chair, IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group
I am passionate about conserving sea turtles and their ocean habitats worldwide. Iconic marine species like turtles, whales, manatees, and sharks can help us capture people’s attention and motivate the public, as well as corporations and governments, to make the behavior changes needed to return the world’s oceans to health.
People are the only threat to the oceans; we put too much in and take too much out of the seas. Oceans will heal when we adopt “Blue Habits” to lower our carbon, plastic, and seafood footprints. Individual commitments are also needed to leverage bigger changes in corporations and governments.
oceanicsociety.org | iucn-mtsg.org
John Racanelli
President/CEO, National Aquarium
I’m especially passionate about interacting with kids. I love experiencing their wonder, awe, and enthusiasm. My greatest moments come when I know I’ve made a connection with someone who has perhaps never realized just how important the ocean is to their life and livelihood.
The ocean supplies oxygen, modulates climate, and provides sustenance. To let it keep us alive and thriving, we must take fewer resources and add fewer pollutants, plastics, and carbon. We must stop altering its habitats and start designating marine protected areas. Finally, we must recognize the ocean’s relevance to each of us, no matter our lifestyle.
Photo: National Aquarium
aqua.org
Serge Dedina, Ph.D.
President/CEO, Oceanic Society. Co-Chair, IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group
I am passionate about conserving sea turtles and their ocean habitats worldwide. Iconic marine species like turtles, whales, manatees, and sharks can help us capture people’s attention and motivate the public, as well as corporations and governments, to make the behavior changes needed to return the world’s oceans to health.
People are the only threat to the oceans; we put too much in and take too much out of the seas. Oceans will heal when we adopt “Blue Habits” to lower our carbon, plastic, and seafood footprints. Individual commitments are also needed to leverage bigger changes in corporations and governments.
oceanicsociety.org | iucn-mtsg.org
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