Partnering to advance conservation action in the Coral Triangle

The landscape of marine conservation encompasses a broad suite of organizations and community leaders, including academic institutions, governments, Native Nations, fishing groups, and NGOs. Each actor plays an important role... [ view full abstract ]

The landscape of marine conservation encompasses a broad suite of organizations and community leaders, including academic institutions, governments, Native Nations, fishing groups, and NGOs. Each actor plays an important role in advancing conservation, from generating and sharing knowledge to connecting science to decision-making. Aquariums occupy a unique and underutilized niche in this complex landscape—they are trusted, have huge audiences, and have scientific and educational credibility. The Seattle Aquarium is a prime example which renewed its commitment to inspiring marine conservation across four focal areas: science, policy, engagement, and sustainability. We are ushering in a new era of conservation programs, guided by an ocean ethic embodied by building connections and finding shared values that inspire conservation actions. As part of this vision, we are expanding our geographic scope to include the Coral Triangle. To-date, we have focused on the Salish Sea—our backyard—but many threats it faces are global in scale, such as climate change, plastic pollution, ocean acidification. Increasing our scope allows us to understand and tell the story of ocean health in a global context. We completed an initial fact-finding trip in April 2018, and hope to continue learning from and connecting with regional experts. We are seeking opportunities to bring our expertise (e.g., ecological monitoring, human dimensions, marine policy) together with local leadership to launch partnerships that will strengthen and grow for decades to come. Are you interested in advancing conservation action and active stewardship in the Coral Triangle and across the Pacific? We stand at the ready.