1. Letter from the Editor. Happy summer to everyone up north and hoping all our readers in the US had a fabulous 4th of July week. Whether back at work or still on vacation…

2. If you value SEVENSEAS Media as a resource and as the free PR arm for everyone in marine conservation and sustainable tourism, we need your support! Learn more about how to get involved and ensure we remain a valuable resource…

3. Vamizi Island, a Cradle of Coral, provides a bastion of hope for people and biodiversity. Off the east coast of Africa and the northern tip of Mozambique lies the Hope Spot of the Quirimbas Islands…

4. Under the Waves with Karim Iliya: July 2017. A juvenile humpback whale takes a breath while bubble feeding off the cold waters of Eastern Greenland.

5. Ever dream of swimming with humpback whales? Now you can. If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales Karim guides people in small trips in Tonga…

6. Massive clean-ups and new national parks as humanity stands with nature on World Environment Day. Thousands of people across six continents are joining massive clean-ups of beaches and parks…

7. Introducing Isla Mar Research Expeditions – Field Courses in Puerto Rico. A field course coordination company in Puerto Rico that specializes in organizing and hosting island ecology (marine/terrestrial) themed courses.

8. FEATURE DESTINATION. Photo Essay: New Zealand’s Diverse Landscapes. In New Zealand, the landscape can change drastically within a few hours’ drive….

9. FEATURE DESTINATION. Diving the Poor Knights Islands. We made our way along a wall with massive stalks of kelp jutting from jagged rock, a kaleidoscope of sponges and anemones filling the spaces in between…

10. Ambassadors of Hope for our Oceans. The beautiful coral reefs of their island home, Panglao, support a booming tourism industry…

11. If You Eat Seafood, You’re Eating Thousands of Pieces of Plastic. …people in Europe currently consume up to 11,000 microparticles a year and that 99 percent of them pass through the body, but the remaining 1 percent…

12. Loggerhead Marinelife Center released “Lilly” the sea turtle, named after Palm Beach resort wear icon Lilly Pulitzer. The large sub-adult loggerhead turtle was found last October just north of the Center with a deep shell wound above the turtle’s shoulder.

13. Inuit and Scientists Are Bringing Narwhals and the Melting Arctic Into Focus. Smithsonian Exhibition To Reveal Traditional and New Knowledge of Narwhals and Their Threatened Ecosystem.

14. Underwater and Out-of-the-Way: Exploring Xcalak and the Banco Chinchorro. …the Mesoamerican reef is a Mission Blue Hope Spot and in 2016 the Mexican government established the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere…

15. Beautiful Maireener Shells and Necklaces from Tasmania. Tasmanian Aboriginal women traditionally collected maireener shells to fashion necklaces and bracelets.

16. Incredible Facts About Our Oceans (Video). Oceans take up almost 70% of our planet, and yet the human race has barely begun to explore the true extent of ocean life.

17. Turn the Tide on Plastic #CleanSeas. Help eliminate microplastics in cosmetics and reduce single-use plastics.

18. 1 Topic, 5 Facts: Coral. This regular feature will help acquaint you with our blue planet.

19. Connect with the Global Marine Community. In a nutshell, the Global Marine Community is a free interactive resource that gives you access to a weekly email detailing a round-up of events and opportunities in ocean conservation.

20. UN Environment statement on US decision to leave Paris Agreement. “…we need more action, not less. This a global challenge. Every nation has a responsibility to act and to act now…”

21. Paso Pacifico is changing wildlife surveillance. The illegal trade in sea turtle eggs is threatening the survival of all seven species of the world’s sea turtles…

22. How To Give An Environmental Boat Briefing. …aimed to serve as a guidance for dive guides and management on what aspect should be included during…

23. SeaKeepers Asia June Expeditions. In June 2017, the SeaKeepers Asia chapter of The International SeaKeepers Society participated in two facets of our DISCOVERY Yachts Program…

24. Pangaea Ocean Sailing Expedition. Panex is opening up sailing expeditions for guest crew. This is an unique opportunity to go sailing, cross an ocean, and be a part of something bigger.

25. Interested in advertising, contributing an article, or becoming a donor? 27 Issues, readership in 174 countries, nearly 15,000 subscribers, 20,000 monthly visitors…and growing.

Happy summer to everyone up north and hoping all our readers in the US had a fabulous 4th of July week. Whether back at work or still on vacation, summer often means that time of year to explore, excite, and expand our horizons. Also, an opportunity to make an impact while you are on the road.

I just recently came back from Vietnam, and though we will go deeper into that in a future issue, I came to the realization that country is a dream. I made more friends than I imagined possible, discovered mind bending artwork, food (and coffee, OMG the coffee!) that I am still dreaming about, amazing sights, and incredible culture. Now, time permitting, whenever I am on the road I try to visit local zoos and aquariums so I can review, rate, and report on them. When I see questionable practices, I then will go a step further to consult with an expert and then reach out to management if we feel necessary. When I visited the The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Ho Chi Minh City, I admit I was shocked – it was by no stretch the worst zoo I had ever seen in my life.

Habitats were often cement boxes with tourists excitedly banging on the glass or bars that separate them from the creatures inside. There were little-to-no educational components and animals were mixed throughout children’s rides so there was no distinction in what was a living creature and a game. Smaller animals like otters and meerkats seemed to not be distraught but larger mammals were showing sever signs of distress. A Malaysian black bear banging its head and body incessantly against the habitat door, isolated giraffes standing listless and frozen in time, and elephants rocking nervously back and forth then huddled in defense when the keeper would enter their confined space. Considering the rules and limitations in Vietnam I do not envision improvement for the future- in fact, at this state of disrepair I believe the zoo should be closed and likely many of the animals euthanized while appropriate outreach is conducted with state officials. I have never said that before for any institution.

So is this another horror story to ruin the bunch? It shouldn’t be. Good zoos and aquariums play many vital roles. Some have extensive rehabilitation and release divisions, others have unique captive breeding programs, and almost all good zoos have extensive educational components. No matter who you talk to you will see there are countless opinions on this topic- whether regarding the size of the animal, the species, comparing zoo habitats to natural environments, or sheer ethics of captivity. So what should you do? Learn which are the good ones, support them, and if you have the means see how to help the ones that need improvement. Struggling to find a birthday gift for someone? How about a membership to a local zoo, aquarium, or sanctuary.

The needle dictating what is ethical/acceptable/natural-as-possible is constantly moving but understand that while there are cages and tanks that are quite dreadful, there are some similar organizations out there that do some invaluable work that many species depend on.

Have questions about this issue, Vietnam, my zoo experience, or anything else? Email me. It might take a bit for me to get back to you but I respond to everything.

Please encourage friends, colleagues, and classmates to like and subscribe to free products and organizations like SEVENSEAS Media. The larger our network, the stronger our conservation message, and more significant our impact. 

SEVENSEAS Media is the leading free resource that promotes marine conservation through community engagement, online media, and eco-tourism, every month, to our readers all across the globe. We ask that YOU be that inspiration for others to follow in your footsteps.

Safe travels & happy swimming,

Giacomo Abrusci, Executive Director, Editor-in-Chief

Written by: The SeaKeepers Team

The International SeaKeepers Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization focusing on the health of the world’s oceans and climate. The International SeaKeepers Society supports marine science and conservation by utilizing yachts as platforms for marine research, educational outreach, and to deploy oceanographic instruments. Our efforts eliminate vessel costs and permit scientists to allocate those funds to maximize research potential.

In June 2017, the SeaKeepers Asia chapter of The International SeaKeepers Society participated in two facets of our DISCOVERY Yachts Program, Education & Outreach with Tasek Jurong Limited and a Community Outreach Expedition for marine clean up and coral rescue. Both of these expeditions took place in the waters off the coast of Singapore.

Education & Outreach

On June 2^nd, SeaKeepers Asia hosted fifteen boys from Tasek Jurong Limited aboard D/Y Paraffin for an outreach expedition.  Participants learned about marine science, research diving, and local marina efforts to minimize pollution.

Researchers from the Tropical Marine Science Institute of the National University of Singapore lead the discussion on board the D/Y Paraffin, a 60M vessel built by Feadship.  This floating classroom session was made possible through the partnership of The International SeaKeepers Society Asia, Rolls Royce, and ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Singapore.

The lesson focused on teaching the students about Singapore’s changing coastline with its effects on surrounding coral reefs.  The 15 boys, aged 9 -12 years old, from Tasek Jurong Ltd. (a non-profit organization in Singapore) completed plankton trawls and viewed the organisms under the microscope. Participants were shown the workings of the navigational equipment on D/Y Paraffin and were given a briefing on how SCUBA diving gear is used as part of marine research performed underwater. The highlight of which was that they had the opportunity to try the dive gear on for size. This half day educational outreach session ended with ONE°15 Marina sharing with the children the measures that they undertake against polluting the surrounding waters via the water discharging services available for vessels berthed at the Marina.

Community Outreach Expedition

On June 4^th, 20 volunteer divers set off early Sunday morning from the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club on board the dive boat Dolphin Explorer to Pulau Subar Laut located within the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park. Their mission was to undertake Our Singapore Reefs: Marine Clean Up and Coral Rescue in conjunction with World Oceans Day 2017.

This is the first time such an event has been conducted in the marine park and the objective was to collect and document the marine debris as well as to rescue corals within the park. Covering an area of 1200 sq. m, the participating volunteer divers successfully removed 424 pieces of debris weighing over 72 kgs – which included a car battery, a small anchor, and trolley. All debris were collected and transported back on another vessel the M/Y Lady Olivia to Raffles Marina for proper disposal. The data collected is now available online on Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris® citizen-science program and contributes to the global effort to combat marine debris.

For the second dive, under the guidance of researchers from the Tropical Marine Science Institute, the volunteer divers collected 43 corals that were found dislodged from the reefs or colonies that were dying. These rescued corals were then relocated to the National Parks Board coral tray located within the Marine Park to safeguard the corals.

An essential outcome of the marine cleanup and coral rescue mission was the compilation of data which has since been made available to relevant and interested parties’. The identification of and information about the debris found in the area covered will enable government agencies to develop solutions and measures needed to reduce the amount of debris. In line with the guidelines for recreational diving, the Volunteers were only able to collect the smaller debris, and discussions are now underway with the respective agencies to remove the remaining larger debris that the volunteer divers were unable to clear. The information collected on the corals, provides a baseline for NParks to monitor the health of the corals in that area.

For more information on The International SeaKeepers Society’s DISCOVERY Yachts Program visit http://www.seakeepers.org/what-we-do/discovery-yachts/ or email Programming@seakeepers.org.