Biologista Professor Ricardo Hisamoto: US Marine National Monuments are politically under threat! • Tropical Sea of Peru • Hope Spot Hatteras • PADI on the Coral Triangle Hope Spot

ALERT: The US Dept of the interior is reviewing Marine National Mon...

In this issue...

A political threat to our US Marine National Monuments!
Under the waves at the Tropical Sea of Peru Hope Spot
Hope Spot Hatteras through the eyes of a 20 year old marine biologist...
PADI weighs in on the Coral Triangle Hope Spot

Interior Department eyes marine monuments...

The US Interior Department is reviewing (i.e. considering weakening/removing) certain Marine National Monuments, as directed by section 4 of Executive Order 13795 of April 28, 2017, “Implementing An America-First Offshore Energy Strategy”. The Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll, Pacific Remote Islands, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monuments are now under review.

Tweet This

Tropical Sea of Peru: Paradise of Hope

The secret of Peru’s marine richness lies in the oceanographic systems occurring off its coast. The cold Humboldt Current moves northward and collides with the warm waters of the Northern Equatorial Current off the coast of Piura, just 150 km south of Ecuador. One of the world’s largest upwelling systems carries nutrient-rich waters from the depths. Colliding these three systems creates an abundantly productive marine ecosystem, unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Explore the unique biodiversity in the Tropical Sea of Peru!

Scientists call it the Tropical Pacific Sea of Peru, a magical place where whales concentrate on feeding and giving birth, where manta rays and whale shark migrate, and where dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles and penguins coexist. Tuna, sharks, marlin and grouper, invertebrates, fish, and marine birds also call it their home. Numerous fishing villages exist in the area and make their living mainly from the sea. Their fishing methods are ancient and sustainable and only harvest what they need. However, illegal fishing both national and international fueled by an insatiable appetite for seafood is putting increased pressure on an already stressed environment. The sea and local communities are paying the toll.

Keep Reading

Outreach and Action at Hope Spot Hatteras

I have been on the planet for two short decades and can only imagine what Cape Hatteras was like over half a century ago. Locals tell me stories of strolling along Coquina Beach hunting for the largest seashells, sailing twenty miles offshore of Cape’s Point following the biggest schools of dolphinfish, and laying under the Milky Way at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and feeling as if you were on the edge of the universe. The pods of dolphins frolicking in the surf, the large bodies of whales breaching in the bright sunlight, shattering the water’s surface like crystalline glass, were recurrent sitings. Each story is different, but with a common theme: an abundance of life. No evidence of man.

Establishing Hatteras as a Hope Spot with Mission Blue last fall has allowed us to stand up for our special place in the ocean and come one step closer to seeing the beautifully wild place it once was. Sharing our story with coastal communities has inspired action. As part of our work to raise awareness on the newly established Hope Spot, we created a number of educational videos, including a short documentary called ‘Put It On the Map’. We have brought our Hope Spot story into classrooms and communities across North Carolina in an effort to inspire action for Cape Hatteras. We have also teamed up with UNC-Wilmington students to study the distribution of dangerous plastic debris off the coast of North Carolina and its effect on local fish species.

We are thrilled about PADI's recent contribution to Ocean Stories about the Coral Triangle Hope Spot. We salute PADI's commitment to being a catalyst for change. Go divers! Go PADI!

PADI on the Coral Triangle Hope Spot

For divers, the fact that the Coral Triangle holds 75% of the world’s coral species should be enough to fall absolutely in love with this ‘Amazon of the Seas’. And when we say that nearly 90% of those reefs are threatened, we should have your full attention.

Mission Blue is calling for all hands on deck with conservation efforts towards the Coral Triangle, a region consisting of the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This precious region faces warming seas, coral bleaching, destructive fishing, pollution, and coastal development that have caused 90% of the reefs to be considered ‘threatened’.

PADI is committed to being a catalyst for change and aims to mobilize divers to be a force for good through our Four Pillars of Change. Ocean Health is one of these vital pillars, and that is why becoming a voice for hope spots like the Coral Triangle alongside Mission Blue is one of our top priorities.

“If we all don’t pay closer attention and collectively take action, the situation will only worsen, effecting our way of life NOW, not 50 years from now,” says Katie Thompson, PADI Director, Global Brand Development and Marketing.