Issue 114 - November 2024
Reef-World Marks Two Decades of Marine Conservation: Strengthening Impact Amid Coral Reef Threats
Empowering ocean stakeholders to tackle future challenges and ensure the survival of coral reefs and humanity

2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of The Reef-World Foundation’s tireless efforts for global coral reef conservation. The UK charity is the international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, known as the leading voice in sustainable marine tourism. Today, Reef-World released its 2023-2024 Impact Report outlining a year of substantive growth and impact in its marine conservation programmes.
Impact Report Highlights:
- Impressive improvements in environmental behaviours to protect coral reefs by the marine tourism industry as the global participation of Green Fins increases.
- Continued capacity building for government and NGO staff to effectively manage marine tourism activities in Asia, Caribbean and Red Sea regions.
- For the first time in Green Fins’ 20-year history, tourism operators have achieved ‘Best Environmental Performer’ status by demonstrating the lowest possible environmental impact in their environmental assessments. In 2024, three dive operators achieved this challenging milestone.
- Significant increases in global participation of Reef-World’s innovative digital conservation tools.
- 138 Green Fins dive operator members achieved the strict threshold for PADI Eco Center recognition.
- Developed four new educational materials and translated two into 16 languages to support the marine tourism industry in achieving sustainability targets.
- Establishing a new Reef-World Development strategy and recruiting new roles – Development and Programmes Managers.
- Reef-World’s board welcomes new Chair and Trustees strengthening organisational leadership.
Reef-World started as a one-person mission to inspire and empower communities to act in conserving and sustainably developing coral reefs and related ecosystems. Today, the team of 12 continues to meet this mission by inspiring and empowering the global marine tourism community to be exemplary sustainability leaders by using the Green Fins guidelines and tools to simultaneously use and protect the world’s precious reefs.
In April 2024, the fourth global coral reef bleaching event was confirmed. Reef-World’s work has never been more urgent as the marine environment, and the benefits they provide humanity, continue to be eroded by global threats. The reduction of local threats, like those from the marine tourism industry, is an essential step to ensuring a future where coral reefs survive and continue to support the millions of people who depend on their ecosystem benefits. Reef-World’s work buys time for coral reefs and related ecosystems to be resilient to the impacts of global threats.
“Right now our corals are facing the greatest fight of their existence as the terrifying predictions of the steps towards their complete extinction are starting to come true. But all is not lost, reefs are resilient and they have existed on this planet for millions of years. We must take action now, to buy time for reefs by reducing threats facing them and allowing them to react and adjust to the changing environment they need to survive in.” – Chloe Harvey, Executive Director

Looking Forwards:
Like coral reefs, the Reef-World team needs to be resilient in the face of the complex challenges of the conservation sector. Reef-World has invested significantly in developing a Culture of Care to ensure the well-being of its team on a daily basis, continuing to be an exemplary employer to enable its team to best achieve the mission for coral reef conservation.
With the foundations of a Culture of Care and organisational development laid, Reef-World is emerging from the end of a natural organisation life cycle, that brings the challenges of growth and scale, stronger than ever. With a new strategy in place to generate much needed resources, Reef-World is excited for the opportunities to leap forward, continue to scale our impact and lean into new innovations and untapped opportunities for marine conservation.
We continually strive to become a forward-thinking organisation that delivers on our goals and commitments to our stakeholders with fresh approaches and not being afraid of steering away from a “normal approach.” This approach is not only applied to our programmes of work but also internally and carries over to our Culture of Care for our team.” — JJ Harvey, Operations Director
The Reef-World Foundation is immensely grateful for the continued support of its grant funders: UN Environment Programme, IUCN’s Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility, Adventure Travel Conservation Fund, PADI Aware Foundation, and World Nomads Footprints Program.
Reef-World would also like to express its gratitude to international partners whose vital support has resulted in significant tangible benefits for our work and mission: PADI; Professional SCUBA Schools International (PSS); Explorer Ventures; 1% for the Planet; ZuBlu; Snorkel Venture, GSTC; Dive O’Clock; Seven Dragons; DiveAssure and Eco Beach, without whom these achievements would not be possible.
The full 2023–2024 Annual Impact Report is available on Reef-World’s website.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Please visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.
Please visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Issue 114 - November 2024
Secretive Slugs Could Hold Key to WA’s Hidden Marine Biodiversity
Curtin University researchers, in collaboration with international experts, are searching WA’s northern coastline for an important and abundant but little-known group of marine slugs, the Onchidiidae.
These air-breathing slugs live on rocky and muddy shores where they hide at high tide and emerge at low tide to feed and reproduce, playing a major role in coastal ecosystems. However, despite their high numbers, they’ve never been properly documented along any part of Australia’s coastline until now.
Visiting from Pennsylvania State University, Adjunct Professor Benoît Dayrat from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences said the research filled a crucial knowledge gap – “WA’s northern coastline is incredibly biodiverse, rivalling the Great Barrier Reef, yet there are many species we still know very little about. More than 5000 marine species in the Pilbara and many more in the Kimberley have been documented over the past few decades, however groups such as the Onchidiidae family of marine slugs, remain poorly understood. This project places a microscope on these slugs, which might seem unremarkable but hold valuable clues about our coastal ecosystems, how they function and how they might be protected in the future.”
Part of the eDGES (eDNA for Global Environmental Studies) partnership between Curtin University and BHP, the project involves DNA sequencing and preservation of specimens collected from Carnarvon, Learmonth, Port Hedland and Broome, with further field studies planned soon for Dampier and Onslow.

Issue 114 - November 2024
SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – November 2024 – Issue 114

Azores Establishes Largest Marine Protected Area Network in North Atlantic

Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal: As the world prepares for the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBDCOP16), the Autonomous Region of the Azores has passed groundbreaking legislation designating the largest marine protected area network in the North Atlantic. Read more…
Scientists Explore the Seafloor of Chilean Patagonia to Reconstruct Impacts of Volcanic Eruptions
An international team of scientists is reconstructing the impact of the 2008 Chaitén volcanic eruption on the marine environment following an expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too). Read more…
2024 Blue Parks Small Grants Awarded to Six Marine Conservation Projects
Marine Conservation Institute is excited to announce the six recipients of the 2024 Blue Parks Small Grants. These grants support projects that enhance marine protected areas (MPAs) and strengthen conservation outcomes. Read more…
Standing Strong for Peace and Planet Under Trump
As the world responds to the results of this recent U.S. election, we at SEVENSEAS Media spent the last hours reminding ourselves of the power of resilience and unity. A new Trump presidency will present serious challenges to environmental policies both in the United States and globally. Read more…
Why Environmental Media Matters More Than Ever, and Why It Is Struggling to Survive
In a world increasingly obsessed with measurable outcomes, the field of environmental conservation is no exception. We’re constantly required to provide results- acres of mangroves planted, kilometers of coastlines restored, numbers of species tagged or rescued. Read more…
Adapting Conservation Skills for a Tech-Driven Future
The landscape of environmental conservation has changed dramatically, and it is now much harder to predict where someone will be in their career five or ten years from now. It used to basically be straightforward. If you were a marine biologist, for example, you could reasonably anticipate what your job would look like over time. Read more…
Reef-World Marks Two Decades of Marine Conservation: Strengthening Impact Amid Coral Reef Threats
2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of The Reef-World Foundation’s tireless efforts for global coral reef conservation. The UK charity is the international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, known as the leading voice in sustainable marine tourism. Read more…
CCMI Launches Buy-a-Brick Campaign for The Expansion of Marine Education & Research Centre to Inspire The Next Generation
The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) is excited to announce the launch of its Buy-a-Brick campaign, a community-driven effort to raise $2.9 million for the expansion of the current site to a, state-of-the-art education and research centre. Read more…
The Ocean Hope Project: Celebrating the High Seas and Rallying Support for a Moratorium on Deep-Sea Mining
Over two thirds of global wildlife is already gone, the climate crisis is wreaking havoc on communities and the environment everywhere. The ocean, which covers most of our planet, faces an onslaught of threats from overfishing to pollution and climate change. Read more…
FEATURE DESTINATION – Unearthing The Rich Biodiversity on Turneffe Atoll
Turneffe Atoll – home to the largest coral atoll in both Belize and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System – which sustains an extraordinary wealth of marine biodiversity, provides livelihood for local communities, and draws visitors with its array of available marine activities. Read more…
FEATURE DESTINATION – Belize Uncovered: Explore, Conserve, and Connect
In Belize, vibrant coral reefs, lush rainforests, and rich cultural heritage combine with a remarkable commitment to conservation. This isn’t just a travel destination; it’s a pioneering country dedicated to protecting its natural treasures. Read more…
FEATURE DESTINATION – Wild Horizons: In Conversation with Paul Lister & Elma Kay
In 2025, we will host a small group of 8 guests in Belize to engage with the nation’s pioneering NGOs, discovering the nation’s vast ecological wealth and character of environmental stewardship. Read more…
Touch the Earth Lightly, Use the Earth Gently
In Shetland’s Lerwick Harbor, the grey stone buildings stand close together. Rows of houses line streets that march downhill in curving lines to meet the sea. They buttress against the cold winds that race across the northern most fetch of the North Sea. Read more…
FEATURE DESTINATION – A Greener Future: The Female Guardians Saving Belize
A nation of just over 400,000 citizens, Belize was protecting its ecosystems long before the UN’s commitment to protect 30% of the world’s land and sea by 2030. Read more…
Cooling the Gulf of Maine Surface Ocean Waters
None of us are strangers to the reports of the Gulf of Maine heating 97% faster than the world’s oceans. However, the actual reasons for this can be lost in the constant headlines about global warming and rising greenhouse gases. Read more…
Gondwana Ecotours Unveils NEW Norway Western Fjords Adventure
In an era where discerning travellers seek authentic experiences that minimize environmental impact, Gondwana Ecotours presents a meticulously crafted nine-day journey through Norway’s Western Fjords. Read more…
Hydrologic Modeling from MSU Scientists Lends Insight Into How Water Can be Conserved, Managed
In grade school, you may have learned about the water cycle. Water falls from the sky as varied forms of precipitation, exists on the Earth as groundwater or surface water, evaporates or transpires into the atmosphere as gas, and condenses back into a liquid (or solid) state. Read more…
2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Explore SEVENSEAS Media’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guida. A simply curated selection of unique items chosen by our team. This collection highlights some favorite finds, from ocean-inspired treasures to unexpected picks that celebrate sustainability and artistry. Whether you’re searching for something special or simply browsing for inspiration, our guide offers some fun choices you might not have heard of before. See more…
SEVENSEAS Weekly Newsletter and Jobs List
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To sign up for free, click here or email us.
Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.
Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.
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Feature Destination
FEATURE DESTINATION – Wild Horizons: In Conversation with Paul Lister & Elma Kay
Photo banner credit: Kevin Quischan
All photographs are credited to Blancaneaux Lodge
In 2025, we will host a small group of 8 guests in Belize to engage with the nation’s pioneering NGOs, discovering the nation’s vast ecological wealth and character of environmental stewardship.
The journey will be personally hosted by Roni Martinez, one of Belize’s top nature guides, and Paul Lister, founder of The European Nature Trust.
Ahead of the journey, Ross Westgate, journalist and Ambassador to The European Nature Trust, spoke with Paul and Elma Kay, Director of Belize Maya Forest Trust, to learn more about Belize’s conservation efforts and what guests can hope to gain from their visit next year. Here are some things we learned from their inspirational Fireside Chat.

It’s important to feel dwarfed by nature
Speaking about one of the lightbulb moments that struck Paul’s lifelong interest in Belize, he shares the wonder he felt at the vastness of nature and why he thinks it’s so important to experience nature’s magnitude.
“Chris took us to meet Rafael [Executive Director of Friends for Conservation and Development] in Las Cuevas, which is part of the trip itinerary with Journeys With Purpose, and we stayed at the research station there. There’s a beautiful bird tower on top of this hill overlooking the incredible forests that lie between Guatemala and the sea, and I remember going up there and seeing the immense enormity of this ocean of trees. I saw all the lush vegetation and I thought to myself “my God, these are the lungs of the earth!” and I fell in love with the natural beauty and incredible nature of the country there and then.
That was a really powerful moment for me and I think it would have brought a lot of people to tears. When you stand in a place like that, it creates an emotion and really makes you connect and think “wow, there’s something far greater than humankind in this natural world. Experiencing nature’s vastness is very special, and even more so in Belize, where 80% of the country is undeveloped.”

It’s possible to see jaguar everywhere in Belize, but in Belize Maya Forest, it’s probable
Explaining Belize Maya Forest Trust’s work and the protected areas they preserve Elma Kay observed how your best chances of spotting jaguar in Belize may likely be within Belize Maya Forest, where our guests will spend the first two nights of their itinerary.
“Your opportunity to spot jaguar will be when you are with us in Belize Maya Forest and in the private Gallon Jug area. Between the Rio Bravo, Belize Maya Forest and the small private forest of Gallon Jug estate, we consolidate half a million acres of protected forest in the northwest, and this is one of the areas where I can safely say that you’re likely to see a jaguar. I don’t think there’s many places even in the rest of Belize where you can say that, even though it’s possible.
We know jaguars are there but they’re elusive. In our space, because of the level of protection of the area, I would say they’re a lot more visible.”

Ecotourism connects visitors to Belize’s conservation mission
The last tourism master plan developed for Belize looked at focusing on overnight and ecotourism.
“It’s the type of tourism that gives back to the country and it’s the type of tourism we want to encourage. The more visitors are exposed, the more they’ll gain a deeper understanding of Belize’s conservation, our goals and sustainable development needs. We definitely want more of these tourists. We want people to connect with us. We want people that are interested in what we have to offer as a country – our culture, our heritage, our people, and our biodiversity as well.”

Belizean conservation also protects its culture
There is a real mix of culture and cuisine in Belize, and of people’s heritage. Extraordinary ancient Mayan ruins and amazing temples are just sitting in the middle of the jungle, waiting to be explored.
“The conservation work we’re doing is also work to preserve our cultural heritage. It’s amazing in the Belize Maya Forest; there is so much to be studied and potentially excavated and looked at. It just blows my mind. Saving 136,000 acres with Belize Maya Forest isn’t just saving the trees and wildlife, it is saving the part of our heritage that we need to understand.
But I don’t think we often see these two parts as connected. We see saving archaeology as its own thing and saving wildlife as another, but we need to remember that this was a landscape that the Mayans were all over. I would say most of us still have that indigenous part of us and of course we still have Maya villages that live within the traditional ways. These exist alongside other indigenous communities, our creole population, and just about everything else you can think of.
Belize is very, very diverse. It’s a fascinating part of our culture that we’re extremely proud of in terms of being able to live together.”

Belize will give you hope
“Everything we do is about giving a sense of inspiration and hopefulness that some of the work we are doing here can be done in your own backyard. We want people to go home and also be inspired to conserve what’s wild – because what’s wild is good for humanity.
Obviously we want people to fall in love with Belize and to potentially stay in touch with us and connect us to others who want to be in touch with Belize, but beyond that we want to demonstrate which things are working well and the level of support and investment that is allowing us to scale up these initiatives.
There are a lot of reasons to not have hope with global climate change issues, and so many things make us feel that we don’t have the power to implement change. But I think when people visit Belize and see how much we are doing and are able to achieve, and the opportunity to do more, people will leave with a sense of hope that will translate into some of the actions they take in their own backyards.”
To learn more about our Journey to Belize, get in touch with our team at connect@journeyswithpurpose.org.
This article is writen by Lara Webster

Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.
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