Taking a Stand

We receive a lot of messages asking us to support various causes, usually marine related. I love it that people are concerned and want to do something to save animals and their environment.  As scuba divers and tourists, we are beginning to learn that our tourism dollars have clout – clout that we can use … Read more

California’s Deadliest Catch: The Secret Driftnet Fishery for Swordfish and Shark Off Our Coast

by Todd Steiner Executive Director, Turtle Island Restoration Network (www.SeaTurtles.org) Few Americans realize that a deadly driftnet fishery targeting swordfish and shark operates off the California coast with fatal consequences for ocean wildlife. Driftnets, which have been described as “curtains of death,” were banned on the high seas by the United Nations in the 1994.  … Read more

Conservation in Raja Ampat and the Greater Birds Head Seascape

Since 2004 Raja Ampat and the surrounding areas of the wider Birds Head Seascape  (BHS) have been the focus of comprehensive, long-term conservation initiatives.  The area’s priority in the world of marine conservation is justified, considering that the Birds Head is home to more marine species than any other area its size on the planet.  … Read more

The Manatees’ Winter Vacation

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is a large, slow moving marine mammal that inhabits the coastal bays, estuaries and rivers within the southeastern United States.  It is an endangered, tropical species, with closely related species endemic to regions near the equator.  Manatees found in the United States are in their northernmost habitat range.  During … Read more