Issue 45 - December 2018

Lessons About Hope from the Seas in the Coral Triangle

by Liz Cunningham with photographs by Jennifer Penner

So many people ask me, “Is there any hope for the seas?” I tell them “Yes” and often I tell a story about a sea nomad named Enci Wahab and how I learned about hope through meeting him.

Among other locations, coral grows in close proximity to mangroves in shallow lagoons. © Jennifer Penner

I met Enci Wahab when I researched my book Ocean Country. For that book I had asked, “Who more than any other cultural group in the world calls the ocean home?” The answer was the Austronesia sea nomads of Southeast Asia. Nowhere on earth are there a people whose lives are more deeply intertwined with the sea. While they now primarily live in stilt villages, they live in the wake of a 10,000-year-old tradition of nomadic life at sea—their ancestors ate, cooked, hunted, slept, and gave birth at sea.

man sitting with family in the Coral Triangle

Enci Wahab and his friend Dorman. © Liz Cunningham

The “ocean home” of the sea nomads is also the marine biodiversity epicenter of the world, the Coral Triangle. Often called the “Amazon of the underwater world,” it includes the waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timore-Leste. Swimming in these waters, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the astonishing diversity and beauty of sea life.

Hope is no stranger to its opposite. And there was no shortage of that in the Coral Triangle: climate change, coral bleaching, destructive fishing, pollution and coastal development have wrecked such havoc that nearly 90 percent of the reefs are threatened. And the sea nomads themselves have played a role through practices which threaten their very livelihood—cyanide fishing, dynamite fishing, and coral mining.

A coral reef flattened by dynamite fishing. Fishermen make bombs from fertilizer and matches or bundles of dynamite. They light then and throw them in the reef. The bombs obliterate the reef and then they go down and pick up all the dead fish. © Liz Cunningham

So, where’s the hope in that?

The answer, I learned, was not “where.” It was “who.”

That’s when I met Enci Wahab. He and his friend Dorman had organized a fisherman’s collectives, in which they all had agreed to forgo destructive fishing and use less-damaging practices such as hook and line and fish traps woven from bamboo. A number of these collectives had formed in this area and similar ones are popping up all over the world. If another fisherman used dynamite, members of the collective would speak with them. They’d make it clear that the community couldn’t tolerate it, that if they continued to fish this way, there would be no fish left for anyone in the “commons” of the sea that they shared: their home.

When Enci Wahab explained why they’d formed the collective, he said: “We do this for our children. We do this, so they will have fish to eat.” His words held such pride and dignity. But it took a while before I understood the depth of that dignity.

A few days later I spoke with another fisherman, but this one said, “I will only speak to you anonymously.” He explained that when you walk away from dynamite fishing, you take a huge pay cut. Dynamite fishing pays between 85-170 dollars a day. Sustainable methods? Five dollars. Forty dollars a day at best. He told me the bombs were terribly dangerous, because the fuses were so short. One friend was killed, another lost an arm, another was blinded in one eye. And the dynamite? A lot of the dynamite was black-market dynamite that came from a “big boss” in Singapore. The dynamite and the fish ran through the same organized crime networks that run narcotics.

healthy coral reef with fish swimming above in blue water

The Coral Triangle harbors the highest number of coral species and fish in the world—more than 3000 species of fish and 75% of all know coral species. © Jennifer Penner

Now I understood: Enci Wahab’s dignity was borne from fierce courage.

When the fisherman in the collective made their choice, they not only took a huge pay cut, but many of them had the courage and dignity to walk away from organized crime.

They weren’t waiting for someone else to do something about this crisis. It wasn’t about asking, “Is there hope?” It was about asking, “How can I become it?”

Hope like this isn’t about calculating the odds of success: it’s about doing what’s right. Hope, the philosopher Alan Mittleman writes “is a civic virtue.” It promotes cooperation “on behalf of the common good.” You do things because you must, because it’s the right thing to do.

The fishermen saw results from their actions. Two decades before, they told me, you could hear dynamite “going off everywhere.” Now it was very rare. There were more fish. They could see it with their own eyes. Those who monitored fisheries saw it too: there has been a 75 percent reduction in dynamite fishing in the last two decades.

A home in the sea nomad village of Mantigola. The humanitarian fallout from damage to coral reefs and overfishing in the Coral Triangle is staggering. Approximately 120 million people depend on fisheries for food or their livelihood in the Coral Triangle alone. Fisheries collapses and declines mean more poverty and less food in a part of the world where malnutrition is already rampant. © Liz Cunningham

How the actions of the fisherman’s collectives added up with the efforts of others to make that difference illuminates the path to what we all know is needed: systemic change. This story is replayed all over the world—citizens driving action on climate change, lobbying their elected officials, reducing plastic use, supporting renewable energy initiatives and marine protected areas.

Imagine for a moment that we could zoom forward through time and that we had successfully navigated some of the challenges of planetary degradation, despite horrific destruction, despite the odds of success being razor thin. And from that vantage point we ask, How was this possible?

A school of fusiliers swims over soft coral. © Jennifer Penner

We all know how, we just need to remind ourselves: it would be because of all the citizens who lived out their own imperatives to do something, to be a part of the change. They did not dwell on that question, Is there hope? They chose to answer another question, How can I become it? They answered it with their actions: they did what they needed to do, despite the fact that the odds stank at times. They became a living, breathing hope that moved the pendulum towards a better future.

I remind myself of this every day now, because I am easily blindsided by the horror of destruction and chilling scientific predictions, by a news feed that screams the world is going to hell no matter what we do. It is hard to stay with the good work of making the world a better place, to heed the inner imperative to do something. Enci Wahab chose his actions with a deliberate regard for the present and for future generations. His steadfast words—“We do this for our children”—stay with me like a ringing bell, challenging me to do the same.

Liz Cunningham headshot

Liz Cunningham is the author of the award-winning Ocean Country: One Woman’s Voyage from Peril to Hope in her Quest to Save the Seas, with a foreword by Carl Safina. She is at work on two forthcoming books, The Passion for Rescue: The Heart of Hope and Our Oceans, Our Breath. Learn about her work at http://www.lizcunningham.net

Cover of the book "Ocean Country" by Liz Cunningham

Penner Headshot

Jennifer Penner is an underwater photographer who is passionate about the ocean. When not in her ocean office, she along with her husband, own and operate a multimedia company in Northern California. To view more of her work, visit http://www.newmediasoup.com

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Issue 45 - December 2018

All-Female Professional Crew Announces Campaign for Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

Team Ocean Respect Racing, led by Stacey Jackson, to raise awareness of ocean health issues in Australia, supported by 11th Hour Racing.

Ocean Respect Racing, Wild Oats X – 11th Hour Racing, Photo by Salty Dingo 2018

In a bid to encourage stronger female representation in Australian sailing, and to promote ocean health and sustainability, the first all-female professional crew to enter the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has announced its campaign to win the coveted Tattersall Cup in Hobart.

The 13-strong crew, led by Skipper Stacey Jackson, will race under the team name Ocean Respect Racing, in partnership with 11th Hour Racing, an organization that promotes sustainability through sport. The team name expresses the message this outstanding group of sailors will spread throughout the sailing community in Australia, inspiring fellow competitors, event organizers, and supporters to protect the ocean. Sailing on the 66 footer Wild Oats X, the crew is a serious contender in the race, with a combined experience of 68 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races and 17 Volvo Ocean Races.

Stacey Jackson, Skipper and Founder of Ocean Respect Racing noted:
“Sailing with a fully professional, all-female crew to Hobart is a wonderful opportunity and we are proud to build on the work of non-professional female crews who have previously raced. We are excited to promote and encourage women in the sport and engage with the Australian public on ocean health issues that are affecting us daily, both locally and globally. We are working with environmental organizations, as well as local yacht clubs, to further educate ourselves, be proactive in mitigating our impact on the ocean, and inspire our fans and communities to become ocean stewards.”

Since 2010, 11th Hour Racing has harnessed the power of sport for positive change with an innovative approach, establishing strategic partnerships within the sailing and maritime communities. These include the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race and a team in the 35th America’s Cup, along with giving more than 80 grants to not-for-profit organizations throughout the world, and engaging professional sailors as global ambassadors.

Rob MacMillan, Co-Founder of 11th Hour Racing, noted:
“We are thrilled to continue our work with Stacey Jackson in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, building on her legacy with Vestas 11th Hour Racing and the Volvo Ocean Race. Stacey is a keen advocate for ocean health, which she demonstrates daily as a professional sailor and as a business owner. The opportunity to work with an all-star female team in this iconic offshore race is a great platform to raise awareness, and act, on the global issue of plastic pollution. We are very proud to support the legacy that Stacey and her team are going to build in her home country.”

Ocean Respect Racing will promote the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign, a grantee of 11th Hour Racing, growing the momentum of Australia’s recent commitment to the campaign to reduce ocean plastics.

Sandy Oatley, whose family owns Wild Oats X and Wild Oats XI, noted:
“Sailing is a sport that my family is incredibly passionate about and we were delighted to agree to contribute Wild Oats X to Stacey’s campaign at Hamilton Island Race Week. We are looking forward to seeing both Wild Oats XI and Wild Oats X on the starting line for what is expected to be a strong race.”

Ocean Respect Racing’s crusade to Hobart became a reality when Sandy Oatley gifted Stacey Jackson the use of Wild Oats X for the race on behalf of the Oatley family. Wild Oats X is the sister ship to supermaxi Wild Oats XI, which has been decorated with line honors in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race a record-breaking eight times.

Working closely with Stacey Jackson as Ambassador for the team is Hon. Julie Bishop, former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Australia’s first female Foreign Minister.
“I am delighted to be the ambassador for Ocean Respect Racing. This historic initiative will set the benchmark for female participation in sailing in Australia, and Stacey’s team comprises some of the most capable sailors. Importantly, I am looking forward to working closely with the team and the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign to promote the importance of ocean health and sustainability in Australia. I hope that their sporting endeavors will inspire women and girls around the world,” commented Ms. Bishop.

The Ocean Respect Racing team will make its debut at the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on December 11th in Sydney Harbour. The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will start on December 26th.

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Conservation Photography

Hairy Frogfish – Lembeh Indonesia: Jack’s December 2018 Underwater Photography Feature

This is the hairy looking beast is the striated frogfish and you’re not gonna believe how it catches it’s food.

Why do they call it the hairy frogfish?

The fish is a terrible swimmer and does more “walking” due to the design of their side fins which actually have joints like toes. And much like frogs, the frogfish will attempt to stuff any creature into their over sized mouths.

Their body is covered in 1,000’s of fleshy spines that looks just like… you guessed it… hair. These hair like body extensions are called spinules and help the frogfish to blend into coral, sponges and sea weed. These unique “hairs” can also change color to match their surroundings, making this fish extremely difficult to spot on the ocean floor.

You can find this crafty creature in oceans all over the world hanging out near sandy bottoms, by coral reef, sponges, or hiding in trash and debris.

Did you know that when the frogfish is in a favorable spot for hunting that it will stay in the same position on the ocean floor for weeks at a time.

So how does it catch it’s prey?

The frogfish is known as an angler fish. They have a special adaptation on the top of their head that hangs out in front of it’s face like fishing lure. This can sometimes look a shrimp or a small fish that dangles and attracts unsuspecting prey. The camouflaged frogfish will wait til it’s victim gets close enough and then BAM! strike with lightening speed so fast, that’s it’s unseen by the human eye.

Here’s another surprising fact. Frogfish are also cannibals, meaning they eat their own kind. Males have been known to kill and eat a female frogfish if she stays too close after mating.

See more of Jack’s underwater photography on Instagram and at https://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/1752805/

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Conservation Photography

Under the Waves with Karim Iliya for December 2018

This month’s feature:

Whale in Tonga

In Vava’u Tonga, Humpback whales battle and race during a heat run, a mating competition led by a female in the front, where male humpbacks can often battle for hours. The fastest, smartest, strongest, most determined whale usually win.

Karim Iliya Logo

Karim was published in National Geographic magazine for his humpback whale photography. He now leads his own trips so that others can swim with whales.

If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales, Karim guides people in small trips between August and October every year in Tonga. Visit www.dancewithwhales.com to find out more

To see more of Karim’s work, visit his website at www.karimphotography.com