Friends of the Monument

Global Ocean Legacy Hero—Ignacio V. "Ike" Cabrera

2013-04-13T08:06:00.000+10:00

This month, The Global Ocean Legacy team unveiled plans to begin regularly honoring honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to marine conservation through his or her dedication to a Global Ocean Legacy marine reserve project proposals. The first recipient of their Hero recognition award is Saipan's very own Ignacio V. "Ike" Cabrera. Congratulations Mr. Cabrera and thank you for your continued dedication!!!

The following is the story they printed in their eNewsletter: The Global Ocean Legacy Navigator:

Ike was a passionate and dedicated advocate for the designation of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, and he continues to fight for better management and increased marine protection around the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Global Ocean Legacy managers Heather Bradner and Robert Mazurek presented Ike this honor on their recent trip to Saipan.

Like generations of marine conservationists before him, Ike Cabrera grew up in a fishing family. But unlike most, his character was shaped by being born and raised on the remarkable island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Saipan is the largest of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. Although “large” in this case means 115 square kilometers (about 44 square miles) of land sandwiched between sandy beaches on the western shore and rugged rocky cliffs jutting into the ocean on the east.

Ike grew up plying Saipan’s pristine waters with his grandfather either gillnetting for tuna, bottom fishing for grouper, or spearfishing for his dinner. The ocean not only provided food and income for his family, but in many ways the ocean was a part of him.

Ike’s love for the ocean and his environment led him to a job working for the CNMI’s Environment Agency. This allowed him to make frequent visits to the Bird Island Sanctuary and Guguan Island, two of his favorite places and two of the Commonwealth’s first nature reserves. There he saw first-hand the benefits of protecting the environment for future generations.

After rising through the ranks, Ike became the Environment Agency’s director. And after twenty-three years of working for the government, he retired – at least officially.

Around this time, Global Ocean Legacy began promoting the importance of establishing a large, fully protected marine reserve around the northernmost islands of the Marianas archipelago. While enjoying retirement, Ike decided to play a public role in advocating for the monument and contributed his many skills and leadership to the effort. And, what a difference this made.

Ike helped launch Friends of the Monument, a grassroots organization that educated islanders about the need for increased marine protection around the Marianas Trench. Through his group, he collected signatures in favor of a new National Marine Monument and went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for such protection with legislators and White House staff. He is reported to have even “crashed” a wedding to increase the number of signatures, which he brought to Washington with him.

“For me, the most important thing was educating our people–and especially our youth–on the importance of the ocean environment,” Ike said. “The obvious need for increased protection came out of those conversations.”

All this hard work culminated in Ike’s invitation to the White House in January 2009 to witness then-President George W. Bush signing the proclamation that created the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

“That was a proud moment,” Ike said, “but there is still much more opportunity and work to be done.” Ike refers to the fact that currently, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is leading the effort to create the Monument’s first management plan. A draft plan is scheduled to be released and available for public comment sometime this year.

This article is reprinted at this blog from its original source: The Global Ocean Legacy Navigator: April 2013

Marianas Trench Marine National Monument update

2013-04-12T07:55:00.000+10:00

Email announcement sent by Laura Beauregard US-FWS on April 11,2013:

A multi-year, multi-agency planning process continues to develop a Monument Management Plan (MMP) for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. As stated in Presidential Proclamation 8335, the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce are required to complete a MMP to guide the management of the monument’s resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working together in the development of the MMP, and in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. I am pleased to announce the availability of our latest planning update. Planning Update 3 provides a summary of the comments and questions we received during the public scoping meetings on Saipan, Rota, Tinian, and Guam last year, along with the initial agency responses.

To download, please visit:
http://www.fws.gov/marianastrenchmarinemonument/planning.html

Contact Info:
laura_beauregard@fws.gov
Hawaiian & Pacific Islands NWRC
300 Ala Moana Blvd, Rm 5-231
Honolulu, HI 96850
808-792-9558

Shark Savers to help Shark Stanley build global youth support for shark and manta ray species

2012-12-22T10:49:00.000+10:00

Sharks Defenders has teamed up with two graduate students from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Pew Environment Group, and Shark Savers to help Shark Stanley build global youth support for shark and manta ray species at next year's Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

CLICK HERE TO HELP SHARK STANLEY

We don't need to tell you how much shark populations are in trouble, you already know. Scientists and government leaders have noticed and have proposed global protections for manta rays, hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, and porbeagle sharks at CITES. Shark Stanley is traveling the globe to find people to support positive outcomes for all these proposals.

Showing your support is easy. Simply visit Shark Stanley's homepage , then print up his image, carefully cut him out, and take photos of him with his supporters and friends in front of iconic landmarks near where you live (or while you are on holiday). Then upload your photos to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram tagging #SharkStanley, @SharkDefenders, and the country where you live (i.e. #Brasil, #USA, #Fiji). You can also email your photos to info@sharkdefenders.com to make sure we find them.

There are 177 countries and territories that are a party to CITES, and Shark Stanley hopes to find at least 20 people in each one.

Leah and Onon, the students leading the campaign, will take all your photos and compile them into a unique petition showcasing the global support for protecting sharks and manta rays at CITES.

In the coming weeks they will be working with renowned artist Dan Yagmin Jr. to develop characters for the other species up for protection, and will release an activity book for elementary school children.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Simply reply to this email. And if your organization would like to become a sponsor of the Shark Stanley campaign, please contact me. We're not asking for any monetary donations, just a promise to help us obtain photos by writing about the campaign on your website and emailing your supporters. We are currently working on Stanley's Partners and Supporters page, and will post your logo with a link back to your website.

Thank you for your continued support,
Angelo Villagomez
Shark Defenders

APASEEM Annual Conference next week

2012-11-08T11:47:00.001+10:00

Another opportunity for the public to learn about science and the environment in and around our islands!

The Asia Pacific Academy of Science, Education and Environmental Management (APASEEM) is hosting their annual conference November 13-15th from 3:30-6:30pm in the American Memorial Park auditorium.

This event is free and open to the public and will feature talks by science and environmental management professionals who do work in and around the Mariana Islands. Feel free to join for all or any part of the conference.

The conference schedule can be found at APASEEM's website -- http://apaseem.org/sec.asp?secID=157

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

2012-11-03T11:53:00.003+10:00

Reposted from Kilili Newsletter, dated Friday, November 2, 2012:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program will provide an educational experience in the policies and processes of programs that have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources, initiated the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program. The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program meets NOAA's Mission goal of "Protect, Restore and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources Through Ecosystem-Based Management." Closing date is March 29, 2013. For more information go to http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities.

Women & Minorities Scholarship Opportunity: Pursue an advanced degree in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology

2012-10-29T10:53:00.000+10:00

Reposted from Kilili Newsletter, dated Friday, October 26, 2012:

Nancy Foster Scholarship Program – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is soliciting applications for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program from individuals, particularly women and minorities, who, due to financial constraints, may otherwise not be able to pursue an advanced degree in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology (including all science, engineering, social science, and resource management of ocean and coastal areas). The program seeks to boost the number of women and minorities in these scientific disciplines, particularly as they relate to the mission of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Closing date is December 6, 2012. For more information, go to http://fosterscholars.noaa.gov/.

Shark for Manta Ray Protections

2012-10-14T14:32:00.002+10:00

Brazil, Ecuador, and Colombia have put forth a proposal to list manta rays at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. If successful, governments will have to manage the trade of these charismatic animals. Want to show your support? Post this photo to Facebook and Twitter. You can Pin it, too.

Why Do We Explore?: An introduction to "Why Do We Explore the Mariana Trench?"

2012-10-08T18:05:00.001+10:00

We thought you might like to know that NOAA is going to be here tomorrow providing education materials and training for classroom teachers related to the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. We are confident that this is only the beginning.

Thanks to Heidi and Kara for making the time and taking the trip! We look forward to seeing you again for your next session in March as well!!!

Micronesia Speaks Up to Save Sharks

2012-09-22T13:58:00.000+10:00

Sharks are rapidly disappearing from the world's oceans, primarily as a result of the demand for their fins, which are valued as a soup ingredient in some cultures. Each year, up to 73 million of these animals are killed by humans. However, advocates in the Pacific would like to put a stop to this activity.

Soon, an area covering more than 2 million square miles of the western Pacific Ocean—approximately two-thirds the size of the land area of the United States—is slated to become the world's largest shark sanctuary, and the first created through a regional agreement among governments. The resolution, which was negotiated last year, also authorizes the development of a regional ban on the possession, sale, and trade of shark fins in the waters of Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which includes Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae.

This short video, produced by the Pew Environment Group, demonstrates the need for countries to implement the agreement and recounts the successful efforts of Guam, where thousands of students and other citizens spoke out about the importance of safeguarding these important keystone species.

2012 Refuge Photo Contest now open!

2012-09-11T08:38:00.002+10:00

REPRINTED HERE FROM EMAIL NOTICE SENT TO NWRS SUBSCRIBERS

Calling all Refuge System photographers!

The 2012 Refuge Photo Contest is now open and accepting entries through October 12, 2012, the end of National Wildlife Refuge Week. This year Southwest Airlines, the official airlines of NWRA, has generously donated the grand prize of $2,000 and 4 round trip tickets. For more information and contest details please
visit refugeassociation.org.

Each year we receive outstanding images that showcase the natural beauty and wonder of our wildlife refuges. We look forward to your submissions!

Best,
The NWRA Team

P.S. Don’t forget to ‘like’ our facebook page at facebook.com/RefugeAssociation for contest updates and previews of the outstanding 2012 photos!

Monument council achieves goals

2012-06-07T07:46:00.002+10:00

Report by the Marianas Variety

Thursday, June 07 2012

By Tammy Doty - Reporter

IN its second and final day, the Mariana trench monument advisory council concluded its inaugural meeting yesterday at Fiesta Resort.

Council member Roy Tsutsui, defense coordinating officer, Department of Defense based on Guam, facilitated an expedited and productive morning drilling down into finalizing a draft of the organizational and procedural guidelines regarding the council’s work.

“Imagine writing the NMI Covenant or the U.S. Constitution in three hours,” described Lisa K. Croft, deputy regional administrator, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office and agency participant.

The rest of the council was equally as impressed with Tsutsui’s ability to keep the process flowing and enabling consensus.

“Roy did a terrific job today and we’re off to a good start,” stated Dr. John Joyner, newly elected council vice chairman and special advisor to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.

Ben Sablan, former secretary of Department of Land and Natural Resources was voted chairman.

Now that the groundwork and framework was achieved the advisory council now will turn its attention to discussing and adopting recommendations for the management of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument established in January 2009.

Once the council’s recommendations are completed and agreed upon they will be forwarded to the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce for review.

Marine monument council holds inaugural meeting

2012-06-07T07:41:00.000+10:00

Reported by the Saipan Tribune

Local

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Marine monument council holds inaugural meeting

By Clarissa V. David
Reporter

Members of the Marianas Trench Monument Advisory Council gathered yesterday for its inaugural meeting, marking a historic and defining milestone since the group's creation following the designation of one of the nation's largest marine monuments three years ago.

As interest and excitement build up, however, council members and regular folk are all too aware that it is just beginning and that the volume of work remains substantial, even as the first of the two-day meeting proved to be productive, according to participants.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial welcomed the advice-giving body composed of U.S. Department of Defense's Roy Tsutsui, U.S. Coast Guard's Morgan Roper, CNMI's Arnold Palacios, Benigno M. Sablan, and Dr. John Joyner.

The meeting, held at the Azucena II Room of Fiesta Resort & Spa in Garapan, also saw the attendance of officials and representatives of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In his opening remarks, Fitial laid down his expectations for the 96,714 square miles of the nation's most pristine marine environments, with the fulfillment of the six key components of the Marianas Monument Agreement and the promised “full traditional indigenous access and practices in the Islands Unit.”

Fitial also sought the “full cooperation and support” of the national government for the conveyance up to 3 miles of nearshore submerged lands for all islands in the Commonwealth. He requested the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Department of Interior to “honor” their role in the agreement to develop provisions that would authorize mineral exploration and extraction and other activities that would bring in income for the CNMI.

“We have many difficult challenges facing us and I have instructed the [advisory council] members to immediately start work in achieving the monument vision mutually agreed to by the people of the Marianas and the Bush administration,” said Fitial.

Part of the meeting was the election of council officials. Chosen were Sablan as chair, Joyner as vice chair, and Roy Tsutsui as secretary/treasurer. Palacios also officially received his appointment to the council yesterday.

Tuesday's meeting concluded with five action items that the council members will need to work on and report about today.

Superintendent Susan White of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Pacific Reefs said that the council was finally able to organize itself, although the process of finally convening the body took longer than expected.

“This is the foundation on which the rest of the advisory council will continue to operate,” she said.

Lisa Ku'ulei Croft, deputy regional administrator for NOAA NMFS, said the council will be working on establishing the frequency of its meetings.

Sablan, for his part, said that with the inaugural council meeting comes the “beginning of understanding” of the importance of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

“We're moving forward to make our people not only understand but really appreciate the context of a proclamation of this magnitude and its advantages for many future generations,” he added.

Palacios, who is also the secretary of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, noted the need to engage the community in the planning and implementation of the management plan for the monument.

“We are certainly looking at the interest of the Commonwealth notwithstanding national interests,” he said.

Cartoonist Jim Toomey on Sharks and Ocean Health

2012-06-07T03:47:00.001+10:00

Jim Toomey, renowned ocean life cartoonist, says there's a lot we can learn from Sherman the shark.

For 15 years, Toomey has been creating the daily comic strip Sherman's Lagoon, which appears in over 150 newspapers in North America. It combines Toomey's two lifelong passions: drawing and the sea. Now, he's partnered with the Pew Environment Group to create a series of short films to help educate people about ocean life.

The inspiration for Toomey's comic strip can be traced back to a family vacation in the Bahamas where he saw a real shark swimming in a remote lagoon. The Bahamas also happens to be the site of one the world's first shark sanctuaries, a place where sharks are completely protected from fishing. Since they are at the top of the food chain, protecting sharks is an important part of maintaining a healthy marine life balance. In a new film, Toomey enlists the help of Sherman himself to illustrate just how important sharks are to ocean health.

Monument Blame Game

2012-02-12T09:14:00.001+10:00

First of all, let me just say that I am sending you this as an individual, not on behalf of any organization.

I read the article about the monument in the February 11 Saipan Tribune and have several comments. The criticisms made are clearly an issue of Ben Sablan trying to create controversy ahead of a visit by federal officials. Several of his statements are off-base. Others are blatant falsehoods.

The reason the CNMI only has two seats on the monument advisory council right now is because the third seat was given to former DFW director Sylvan Igisomar. He recently retired and moved to Texas. Arnold Palacios was a last minute replacement, and the federal government hasn't approved him yet. In fact, the local government hasn't even approved Palacios in his position, so it is ridiculous to criticize the federal government on this issue. Incidentally, Palacios has been invited to participate in the meetings as a full member.

The $333 million "benefit" referred to by Sablan is also misleading. The University of Guam professor who authored the study Sablan cites talked about a 2008 "present value" of $333 million, which is an economic term to describe what the area could be worth. The economic benefit the study predicted was actually only about $10 million per year, with funds coming from a combination of federal funding, a boost in tourism from increased international exposure, and high-end tourism and research in the Northern Islands. Unfortunately Dr. Iverson made some incorrect assumptions about the proposed monument (He also failed to predict the Great Recession and the rise of the Tea Party, which are by far the biggest reason the federal government has yet to fund the monument).

First of all, Iverson predicted the monument would be the largest or second largest in the world, which it is not. The Islands Unit, the only part of the monument that is a marine protected area, is only 10% of the size proposed by the Friends of the Monument. Logically, a small marine protected area needs less funding than a large marine protected area. Second, the study assumed the manager of the monument would be NOAA Office of Marine National Sanctuaries. However, management authority was given to US Fish & Wildlife Service, which is a different government agency in a different federal department with different priorities and different budgets. If Dr. Iverson were to reassess his numbers with these new assumptions, the numbers would be different and likely much less than $10 million. I encourage readers to read the study to come to their own conclusions.

Read the economic study here.

Also, while it is very easy to play the blame game, it must be noted that the CNMI had a great opportunity to fund the monument with ARRA. Were any ARRA funds requested for the monument? Or were certain people still steaming over its declaration and hoping that they could get it overturned rather than get it funded and working? There are some people, including Sablan, who want to see and are working very hard to make the monument fail. The opportunity to fund the monument with ARRA has now passed.

As for the concrete economic benefits that have been received since the monument's declaration, much of the credit is due to Delegate Kilili's hard work. He helped secure $1/4 million the year the monument was declared to design a visitors center. For a number of reasons related to local politics, that money hasn't been spent and a visitors center has not been designed. That is not the federal government's fault; that is the local government's fault. Delegate Kilili also sponsored a bill that would have actually built the visitor's center in the Northern Marianas once it was designed, but that bill has yet to pass due to national politics and the current state of the national economy (You may remember when RNC Chairman Michael Steele visited the CNMI during the 2010 election and promised to cut federal spending? He delivered on his promise).

Despite the economic downturn, the federal government has hired at least two full-time employees on Saipan. I'll respect their privacy in this matter, but those jobs are a direct result of the monument declaration. They pay local taxes and support local businesses, creating jobs in the private sector. And despite Sablan's claim to the contrary, federal officials have visited Saipan on numerous occasions, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, and supporting job creation in the private sector. The 2010 Coral Reef Task Force was also held in Saipan to highlight the creation of the monument. This conference brought tens of thousands of dollars to the local economy.

The CNMI also continues to receive global media attention due to the monument and other unrelated but similar environmental initiatives, such as the 2011 shark fin ban introduced by Diego Benavente and signed by Governor Fitial. This is international attention MVA would otherwise have to pay a premium on, so it saves the government untold hundreds of thousands of dollars at the same time it attracts tourists who spend money in the local economy. This is something the CNMI should leverage, which to date it has not.

And despite these unfounded criticisms, most importantly, our children are already benefiting from the monument declaration, and it was for them many of you reading this supported the monument's creation. In 2009, a recent graduate of Marianas High School was taken to the monument and wrote a book about that experience. Hundreds of copies of his book Our Northern Islands have been donated to the public schools, and once the Friends of the Monument raise more money, more will be donated. Before the monument was declared, how many people could even name the Northern Islands? Now our children have photos and stories to share from them. Also, NOAA provided our public schools with 100 copies of a lesson plan about exploring the Mariana Trench and trained Agnes McPhetres to "teach the teachers" on how to use them.

The community should be excited that they have the opportunity to participate in the management of their monument. Despite misconceptions that the federal government was going to take this part of the Marianas away, what they are really doing is reminding our people that this part of our home still belongs to us and that we need to take care of it. I encourage the community to attend the upcoming public meetings and to continue to work hard to protect our fragile natural heritage.

Angelo Villagomez
Washington, DC

Nominate Kathy Pagapular Ruszala's Sixth Grade Class for a Peter Benchly Ocean Award

2011-12-21T01:17:00.002+10:00

Here it goes, I'm asking for your help yet one more time. Will you nominate Kathy Pagapular's San Vicente Elementary School Sixth Grade Class for a Peter Benchley Ocean Award in Youth Activism? Kathy's class supported shark protections in the Northern Marianas this year and jumpstarted momentum for a year of shark conservation. They deserve recognition.

Click here to learn how to nominate San Vicente Elementary School for a Peter Benchley Ocean Award in Youth Activism.

The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2011. Nominations should include 2- 6 paragraphs on the nominee and why the nominator finds them deserving in their category. Feel free to include supporting materials and/or links. Please include the nominees contact information and your contact information.

Submit to benchleys@bluefront.org. Mark subject line - Benchley Nomination - Youth Activism. Nominators names will be held in confidence.

2011 was a watershed year in shark conservation. And where did it all start? Saipan. On January 27, Governor Ben Fitial signed a law criminalizing the sale, trade, and possession of shark fin. This act kicked off 12 months of improved protections for sharks, including shark sanctuaries in The Bahamas, Honduras, the Marshalls, and Tokelau, shark fin bans in Guam, California, Washington, Oregon, and half a dozen Canadian cities, protections for oceanic whitetips, hammerheads, and silky sharks on the high seas, and agreements by international and regional bodies to implement more protections in 2012.

The law in the Northern Marianas was supported by many in the community, including fishermen, divers, and the conservation-minded, but a sixth grade class at San Vicente Elementary School may have done more than anyone else to make sure sharks received protections.

I could tell their story, but filmmaker Rob Stewart does it much better with his short film Sharkwater Saipan. This short film is just a preview of Rob's second feature film Revolution, due out in theaters next year.

Watch Sharkwater Saipan on Youtube.

I am asking you to write your own nominations (but I am available to help or edit). Two paragraphs should not be that difficult. Think of this award as something that will come home to the Marianas, not just San Vicente Elementary.

I make this request as the Saipan Blogger and the Godfather of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, not as someone who works for an organization that shall go unnamed. I have had the honor of meeting many shark champions around the world this year including Tony DeBrum from the Marshall Islands, Ev Quiel and Melanie Blas on Guam, Manoa Rasagitale in Fiji, Rob Stewart in Canada, and many others, but my home and my heart lies with Saipan. So let's bring that award home!

Shark Hope

2011-11-09T00:57:00.002+10:00

You will find a familiar Friends of the Monument face in this documentary about shark conservation in Fiji.

Please Sign White House Petition to Protect Sharks

2011-10-08T02:03:00.001+10:00

Earlier this year the Northern Mariana Islands kicked off a global rush of shark conservation by banning the sale, trade, and possession of shark fin. Since the day Governor Fitial signed Public Law 17-27 into law, leaders in Guam, Honduras, The Bahamas, Chile, Tokelau, and the Marshall Islands have passed shark conservation measures. Additionally, Governor Fitial championed the declaration of the Micronesia Regional Shark Sanctuary, the first multi-jurisdictional shark sanctuary in the world.

I started a petition on the White House’s We The People website asking the Obama Administration to “ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark and shark products, including shark fin.” The petition needs about 1600 more signatures for the Administration to issue an official response. Please take a few moments to sign.

The petition can be found online at: www.wh.gov/gWs

The Northern Marianas is a global leader in marine and shark conservation. Like the students from San Vicente elementary who helped support the passage of our shark protections, these protections should spread from island to island, from country to country. The United States should be the next country to protect sharks.

Angelo Villagomez
Washington, DC

Marshall Islands National Shark Sanctuary

2011-10-03T11:43:00.002+10:00

The Marshall Islands declared the world's largest shark sanctuary.

Congratulations and thank you to the people and government of the Marshall Islands.

And do you want to know what they are protecting? Here is a video from the Marshall Islands Conservation Society and HD Under H2O:

Again, congrats, Marshall Islands!!!

And it is time for the United States to do something similar. Shark Defenders started a petition on the Obama White House website that calls for a "ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark and shark products, including shark fin." As of this writing it needs 1,800 more signatures to reach the level that will guarantee a response from the president.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

ACTION ALERT: Ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark in the United States

2011-09-23T10:49:00.001+10:00

Shark Defenders created a new petition on We the People, a new feature on WhiteHouse.gov, and they are asking for your support. Will you add your name? If this petition gets 5,000 signatures by October 22, 2011, the White House will review it and respond!

Also, will you repost the petition to Facebook and Twitter?

We the People allows anyone to create and sign petitions asking the Obama Administration to take action on a range of issues. If a petition gets enough support, the Obama Administration will issue an official response.

You can view and sign the petition here:

http://wh.gov/gWs

Here's some more information about this petition:

The Obama Administration should ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark and shark products, including shark fin.
One third of all shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction.To reverse this trend, the USA must be a leader in protecting these important predators.The Administration has championed international agreements and signed the Shark Conservation Act, but this only mandates how a shark is killed, not how many. On average, the USA lands 30,000 tons of shark per year. Palau, Maldives, Honduras, Bahamas, and Tokelau have declared national shark sanctuaries, banning the commercial fishing of sharks in their waters and ending the shark trade. Domestically, laws have been passed banning the sale, trade, and possession of shark in Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, and the territories of Guam and Northern Marianas. The USA should implement a national shark and shark fin ban.

UNEP/GRID-Arendal’s Blue Carbon Photography Contest

2011-07-23T10:56:00.000+10:00

Grassroots organizations involved in coastal and marine conservation are invited to participate in UNEP/GRID-Arendal’s Blue Carbon Photography Contest. Selected photographs are intended for use in a special publication for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa (COP17), and for an online image resource - the Blue Carbon Photography Library.

The theme of the contest “Life on the coasts - Blue Carbon” focuses on the importance of a healthy marine environment in coastal livelihoods.

We are looking for iconic images in two categories – People & the Environment, and Coastal & Marine Ecosystems. Examples include coastal and underwater scenes, community based restoration and conservation projects, our connection to healthy coastal ecosystems (e.g. fisheries, tourism), and how a changing ocean and climate impact the daily life of people and communities living along the coast.

As long as there is a clear affiliation with a grassroots organization, all professional and non-professional photographers worldwide are welcome to submit. Organization logos will also be highlighted in the special publication. Blue Climate Solutions has offered a digital underwater camera as a prize for the best image. Additional sponsors are welcome.

**To SUBMIT your images, please see the Competition Rules and send all submissions to: photocontest@grida.no

**The DEADLINE for submitting pictures to UNEP/GRID-Arendal is SEPTEMBER 30, 2011. Finalists will be announced in October 2011.

Personal Release forms are required for all images that include recognizable subjects and children (see Competition Rules).

After reviewing the following Competition Rules, you will be fully prepared to enter the contest.

Contest information and rules can be found at: http://www.grida.no/marine/activities/blue-carbon-photo-contest.aspx?id=4808

Best of luck to all!
Steven Lutz
UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Arendal, Norway
Email: photocontest@grida.no

UNEP/GRID-Arendal is a non-profit, administratively independent institution and an official collaborating centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was established in 1989 by the Norwegian Ministry of Environment to support UN’s Environment Programme and other UN agencies. Its mission is to communicate environmental information to policy-makers and facilitate environmental decision-making for change.

Suzanne Garrett
DCMC Coordinator
IUCN
1630 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
202.518.2072

Refuge System Sets Goals for Next Decade

2011-07-08T02:37:00.002+10:00

Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
to Join 1,200 at One of Nation’s
Largest Gatherings of Conservationists

Representing Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (FOMTM) Ignacio V. “Ike” Cabrera, Chairman and Laurie Peterka, Secretary, will be among 1,200 professionals and citizen conservationists who will hear from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who headed the federal response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and historian/author Douglas Brinkley at the National Wildlife Refuge System Conserving the Future conference in Madison, WI. The conference will be held July 11-14, when a new vision will be ratified to guide the Refuge System for the next decade.

The conference – one of the nation’s largest gatherings of conservationists — is the culmination of a months-long, highly transparent process to create a reinvigorated vision for the Refuge System. Over the past six months, Americans submitted more than 10,000 comments to the draft vision, posted online at http://americaswildlife.org, where more information about the vision and the conference is available.

Speakers will also include noted oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle; award-winning nature photographer Dewitt Jones who traveled the globe for National Geographic; MacArthur-winning environmental activist Majora Carter of the Bronx, New York; and Juan Martinez of Los Angeles, with the nonprofit Children & Nature Network and named by National Geographic as one of its Emerging Explorers.

FOMTM was among more than 100 nonprofit Refuge System Friends organizations at the conference. FOMTM formed in the Spring of 2008 to express the voice of the local community and consists of a cross-section of indigenous and resident people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who are dedicated to the conservation, preservation and protection of flora, fauna and geological features of the oceans; and the proper management of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. The organization was a recipient of a 2009 EPA Environmental Award for their community outreach work supporting marine protected areas. Currently, FOMTM follows and reports on progress of the steps outlined in the 2008 declaration.

The Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the nation’s largest network of federal lands and waters dedicated to the protection of wildlife and the habitat on which it depends. The Refuge System is composed of 553 national wildlife refuges spanning about 150 million acres. More than 44 million people visit wildlife refuges each year.

The new vision will help the Refuge System implement the best wildlife conservation practices guided by the latest science. The Refuge System’s new vision recognizes the rapid social and environmental changes that have taken place over the last decade or so.

One idea slated for discussion: to establish an interagency team to improve habitat conservation and the conservation literacy of America, especially among the young.

FOMTM is attending the NWR conference to network with like-minded professionals and volunteers in order to bring whatever resources it can back to the local community. Any particular programs that may be launched as a consequence of participation will be announced at http://marianamonument.blogspot.com/, where you can also follow all other activities that FOMTM is involved on behalf of the community.

The Conserving the Future conference will also showcase a modern face of the federal government: Many conference proceedings will be live-streamed. Texting, mobile communications and social networking will all play essential communications roles.

The Refuge System will offset carbon emissions tied to conference travel with contributions to The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program.

Sharkwater Saipan

2011-06-10T01:16:00.001+10:00

Check out what Kathy Pagapular's 6th grade class at San Vicente Elementary School were able to accomplish with the help of Sharkwater's Rob Stewart and some other very dedicated adults. I hope this inspiring video goes viral, and I'd appreciate anything you can do to put it in the blogosphere, Twittersphere, or Facebooksphere.

World Oceans Day - How will you celebrate?

2011-06-09T07:03:00.000+10:00

How about becoming an Ocean Hero?

Be an Ocean Hero This Summer!

World Oceans Day, June 8, is a day for celebrating the oceans' beauty and bounty. This summer, do more than just celebrate. Be an ocean hero.

CLICK HERE: Bing an ocean hero is easy – just pledge to recycle, clean up or eat sustainable seafood this summer.

Protect the Oceanic Whitetip Shark on World Ocean's Day

2011-05-16T03:04:00.001+10:00

The IUCN Red List Threatened Species assesses the Oceanic Whitetip Shark as Critically Endangered in the Western and Central Atlantic. Globally they are assessed as Vulnerable and are threatened with extinction if strong measures are not put into place to protect their remaining populations.

To raise awareness of the plight of this charismatic species, please change your Facebook profile picture to the attached graphic until World Ocean's Day on June 8, 2011. A high resolution of the photo can also be found on Flickr.

Saipan: Opportunity to Visit NOAA Research Ship

2011-04-25T10:26:00.000+10:00

An opportunity has arisen to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) research ship (the Hi'ialakai) on Thursday of this week (the 28th).

The Hawaii based vessel has been conducting research around the Marianas (including the northern islands) over the last month with both off-island and local scientists. The ship will be returning to Saipan this Wednesday and is offering students and the general public an opportunity to tour the ship and talk with the scientists conducting the research.

If you are interested in coming out please either email Aric Bickel or Ranger Nancy Kelchner at American Memorial Park to reserve your spot, as there are only so many people the boat can handle. Visitation hours on Thursday for students are between 12 and 2:00pm and between 3 and 4:00pm for the general public. Those coming out (and others interested) are asked to visit the vessels website http://noaacred.blogspot.com/ to familiarize themselves with the work being done and get an idea of which scientists they would like the speak with/what questions they would like to ask.

This is a great opportunity to get a first hand look at some of the research that is being done at the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Feel free to contact Aric with your questions!

Friends of the Monument

Global Ocean Legacy Hero—Ignacio V. "Ike" Cabrera

Marianas Trench Marine National Monument update

Shark Savers to help Shark Stanley build global youth support for shark and manta ray species

APASEEM Annual Conference next week

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

Women & Minorities Scholarship Opportunity: Pursue an advanced degree in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology

Shark for Manta Ray Protections

Why Do We Explore?: An introduction to "Why Do We Explore the Mariana Trench?"

Micronesia Speaks Up to Save Sharks

2012 Refuge Photo Contest now open!

Monument council achieves goals

Marine monument council holds inaugural meeting

Cartoonist Jim Toomey on Sharks and Ocean Health

Monument Blame Game

Nominate Kathy Pagapular Ruszala's Sixth Grade Class for a Peter Benchly Ocean Award

Shark Hope

Please Sign White House Petition to Protect Sharks

Marshall Islands National Shark Sanctuary

ACTION ALERT: Ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark in the United States

UNEP/GRID-Arendal’s Blue Carbon Photography Contest

Refuge System Sets Goals for Next Decade

Sharkwater Saipan

World Oceans Day - How will you celebrate?

Protect the Oceanic Whitetip Shark on World Ocean's Day

Saipan: Opportunit​y to Visit NOAA Research Ship

Saipan: Opportunity to Visit NOAA Research Ship