September 2018 will see the start of an exciting project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) into the Comoros Archipelago. The Comoros coral reefs are an unrivalled marine paradise, with the highest concentration of coral marine species within a small area, in the world. Comoros offers one of the world’s largest coral atolls which parades hundreds of fish … [Read more...]
Coral gardening initiative launched at Fiji resort
An iconic reort in Fiji recently launched a marine conservation initiative called 'Our Ocean Guardians.' With an increased focus on coral health and coral resilience, the Reef Safari team at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa worked with resort guests to successfully plant over 50 corals in four months under the ‘Our Ocean Guardians Project’. This initiative … [Read more...]
An uncertain future for our living blue planet
A new report on the health of the ocean finds that the marine vertebrate population has declined by 49 percent between 1970 and 2012. WWF’s Living Blue Planet Report tracks 5,829 populations of 1,234 mammal, bird, reptile, and fish species through a marine living planet index. The evidence, analyzed by researchers at the Zoological Society of London, paints a troubling … [Read more...]
Sparring with fishermen over world’s largest marine reserve
President Obama’s proposal in June to expand a marine sanctuary around seven U.S.-controlled islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean drew immediate praise from scientists and conservationists, but has since sparked opposition from representatives of the tuna industry, including fishermen in Hawaii who say it would threaten their livelihood. The tuna fishermen oppose … [Read more...]
Spread the word about ocean conservation
Join millions of people around the world as we celebrate World Oceans Day on 8th June! On World Oceans Day people around our blue planet honor the ocean, which links us all. The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network have been helping to promote and coordinate this event since 2002, with greater success and global participation each year. Be a part of this growing … [Read more...]
Lessons learned from biomimicry
Over the centuries, nature had to overcome every obstacle we humans are also faced with today. How to transport liquids, colour things, cure illnesses, fix objects to all surfaces - to name but a few. We have been overcoming these obstacles in our very innovative and unnatural ways, with the result that we are slowly but surely killing our own ecosystem. The idea of turning … [Read more...]
Women crochet together for coral reefs
On its travels through South Africa the Climate Train has been creating unique spaces for community members - notables and ordinary people alike- to engage in meaningful discussions around climate change and the lively Pretoria was certainly no exception. Climate’s impact on corals and hundreds of species In the cool Sunday afternoon with the smell of the unexpected Highveld … [Read more...]
Act now to protect disappearing corals
Corals are vanishing at an alarming rate, and scientists warn that coral reefs are poised to become the first mass ecosystem extinction. Coral loss also spells trouble for the wide array of marine animals and coastal communities that depend on coral reefs. You have an opportunity right now to support strong protections of 82 corals by the Centre for Biological Diversity … [Read more...]
Investing in biodiversity
Biodiversity is not about a few endangered species, but rather about the building blocks of life sustaining all earth's ecosystems. Over 600 scientists attending the 2nd major International Biodiversity Conference held in Cape Town recently said in their concluding statement that 'the fabric out of which the earth system is woven is unravelling at an accelerating rate.' 'We … [Read more...]