Marine Life & Conservation
Divers are Thankful for the National Ocean Policy
As we near the end of 2013, many of us turn our attention to the start of the holiday season, the things are we are thankful for, and our family and friends. Last month, divers in the US showed Congress that they are thankful for the National Ocean Policy.
In fact, seventy four members of our nation’s vibrant dive community, including such members as her “Deepness” Dr. Sylvia Earle, explorer Philippe Cousteau, Jr. and renowned underwater photographer Brian Skerry, supported the National Ocean Policy and a National Endowment for the Oceans to the members of Congress who have an opportunity to show that they too care about our nation’s oceans, coasts and the economies that rely on them.
These are the members of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Conference Committee, who are working to reconcile the versions of WRDA passed by the House and Senate. They will soon consider two provisions critically important to ensuring the long-term health of the nation’s oceans, coasts and Great Lakes. First is the damaging Flores rider, meant to undermine and impede the National Ocean Policy’s implementation by prohibiting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), a key coastal and ocean management agency, from coordinating with coastal states, other federal agencies, and the public as they engage in ocean planning and ecosystem-based management. We know that the National Ocean Policy improves our planning so that we protect important habitat and ocean wildlife, plan to address changing ocean ecosystems, build climate resilience and encourage sustainable use, and provide greater certainty for businesses and other ocean users, including divers. Imposing such an arbitrary restriction harms states, the Corps, and the ocean and coastal economy.
Second is the Senate’s National Endowment for the Oceans (NEO, Title XII to S. 601), a bi-partisan effort to ensure that present and future generations benefit from the ecological, economic, cultural and recreational resources of our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes through grants to states, tribes and others. NEO would support efforts to conserve and restore ocean resources and help develop the baseline science, monitoring, and observation data to facilitate long term healthy oceans. To ensure our nation has healthy oceans in the future, the letter urges the conferees to OPPOSE and STRIP out the Flores rider and EMBRACE and SUPPORT the provision establishing NEO.
While the dive community is certainly a diverse one, each member has one thing in common: they all benefit from healthy, productive oceans. Divers see firsthand the incredible beauty and, too often, the increasing burden our oceans face. That is why members from the dive community stood up last month to say, hey Congress, the dive community is full of people committed to ensuring our industry, sport and the nation have an ocean ethic. We want you to know that we give thanks that our Nation has an Ocean Policy … and so should you.
Find the letter here.
Source: www.healthyoceanscoalition.org
Top Photo credit: Wolcott Henry/Marine Photobank
Bottom Photo Credit: Greenpeace
Thanks to our friend John Hocevar from Greenpeace who passed this article on to us.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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