Watch: Blue Prosperity Micronesia and Pristine Seas Study FSM's Ocean
Congratulations to the Blue Prosperity Micronesia (BPM) and National Geographic Pristine Seas teams for a successful marine science expedition in the Federated States of Micronesia! The BPM team shared preliminary expedition results with partners and stakeholders in Yap and Pohnpei.
BPM is at the forefront of combining community insights, traditional wisdom, and scientific research to shape the future of ocean management. The data collected from this expedition will integrate with traditional knowledge to inform the development of the nation’s future Marine Spatial Plans.
A final science report summarizing all the data collected during this expedition will be shared with state and local governments later this year. National Geographic Pristine Seas will also produce a full-length documentary film about the FSM. Watch this video for a sneak peek of what’s to come!
Climate-smart Workshop Explores Innovative Approaches to Marine Spatial Planning
In February, the Waitt Institute hosted a week-long workshop with its Blue Prosperity Coalition (BPC) partners from the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at The University of Queensland (UQ), the Environmental and Markets Lab (emLab) and the McClintock Lab (SeaSketch) from University of California Santa Barbara, Global Fishing Watch, and the Sandin Lab, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego.
Workshop participants reviewed and co-designed climate-smart approaches to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) design and management. It was an exciting week collaborating to advance ocean conservation with innovative applied science and cutting-edge spatial tools.
“This is a true multi-institutional research collaboration to advance ocean conservation science and practice. We are developing world-class, climate-smart approaches and tools for Marine Spatial Planning and placement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Spatial conservation prioritization is being taken to another level, where climate layers can be used to best plan and place MPAs and secure their good performance in the midst of climate change.”
- Dr. Pablo Granados-Dieseldorff, Waitt Institute Sustainable Fisheries Director
New Blue Prosperity Team Members
Dr. Felipe Carvalho
Waitt Institute
Sustainable Fisheries Manager
Lorea Dandoy
Waitt Institute
Creative Communications Manager
Lauren Dvonch
Waitt Institute
Communications Fellow
Jack Loughman
Blue Prosperity Vanuatu
Country Manager
Molly Ryan
Waitt Institute
Legal & Policy Fellow
Arthur Sokimi
New Role! Waitt Institute
Pacific Regional Director
Shawn Walter
Blue Prosperity Micronesia
Technical Coordinator
Blue Prosperity Partner Spotlight
New Global Fishing Watch paper in Nature:
“Satellite mapping reveals extensive industrial activity at sea”
New emLab paper in Fish and Fisheries:
“Simulating costs, benefits and trade-offs of spatial management in marine social-ecological ecosystems”
Join the Island Innovation Finance Forum online from March 6-8. The Forum aims to highlight the unique financial challenges faced by global island communities and the solutions for sustainable economic recovery
and inclusive growth in a post-pandemic world.
Upcoming Events
SAVE THE DATES: The Waitt Institute team and partners will be attending the Our Ocean Conference from April 15 to 17, 2024 in Athens, Greece, as well as the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) from May 27 to 30, 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. We hope to see you there!