News

Webinar: Ocean Restoration

Ocean Restoration

In the third episode of the 2022 Bertarelli Foundation’s marine science webinar, Helen Czerski introduced a panel of speakers who are all working on and around the theme of ocean restoration.

Four phenomenal projects on a global scale from native oyster restoration, mangroves, seagrass to coral restoration.

Following the short talks, members of the public were invited to ask questions on this topic.

Speakers:

Dr Helen Czerski – moderator
Cedric Robillot – Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Jurgenne Primavera – Zoological Society of London, Philippines
Richard Unsworth – Project Seagrass
Joanne Preston – University of Portsmouth

You can watch a recording of the webinar below:

Any unanswered questions from the live webinar will be available on the website shortly.

News

Podcast: Ecosystems – Land, Marine and the “In-Between”

Podcast: Ecosystems - Land, Marine, and the "In-between"

S2 Episode 2: Ecosystems – Land, Marine, and the “In-between”

Bizarrely, when it comes to ecology – marine systems and land systems are studied separately. But we need to better understand the “in between”.

Travelling from vast rainforests, all the way to the sandy shores of remote atolls, join oceanographer Helen Czerski as she explores the power of a healthy ecosystem with Yadvinder Mahli, Professor of Ecosystem Science at Oxford University and Director of Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery.

What are the processes that keep these important ecosystems in check? And can a healthy island ecosystem improve the state of our ocean?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News

Podcast: Eels – Are You in the Fanclub?

Podcast: Eels - Are You in the Fanclub?

Episode 10: Eels – Are You in the Fanclub?

The more you find out about eels, the more fascinating they become… Even on the scale of the surprises that nature can throw at us.

The European eel starts its life way out in the open ocean, far, far away from land, out in saltwater. It then migrates back thousands of miles towards estuaries, up the estuaries, into the freshwater system. It’s an extraordinary achievement but, as it travels, this is a species that encounters all the water based problems that we humans create.

Join oceanographer and host Helen Czerski as she discovers the eel’s impressive journey, the threats they face, and whether she can find an elusive eel at the banks of Hampton Court in London. With special thanks to Marine and Freshwater Conservation Programme Manager, Dr Matt Gollock at Zoological Society London and Phoebe Shaw Stewart from their monitoring programme.

Follow or subscribe now, for free, wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Event

UNOC: Our Ocean Future – Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Leaders

Our Ocean Future - Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Leaders

At the 2022 UN Ocean Conference held in Lisbon, the Bertarelli Foundation co-hosted with IOC UNESCO and ZSL an official side event on the morning of Tuesday 28th, June titled ‘Our Ocean Future – Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Leaders’.

Marine scientists are at the heart of science innovation, translating scientific conclusions into management practises, and increasingly the move towards sustainable development. The technical capacity of ocean science remains unequally distributed among countries and regions, particularly in infrastructure, deep sea exploration and data management. While the number of scientific publications continues to increase, they are heavily skewed in origin and focus to the Global North. Networks of early career marine scientists are central to the innovation of transformative solutions. These networks can be further improved by encompassing diversity of disciplines, racial diversity, and gender. However, the contribution young marine scientists and conservationists can make is often overlooked and the level of support offered to them differs widely among countries. This event took the form of a conversation between three ocean leaders and three ocean youth from the Global South, with the goal of identifying clear actions to overcome barriers and accelerate opportunities for next generation ocean leaders.

Panellists

Ocean leaders:

Professor Rashid Sumaila (University of British Columbia, Canada)
Angelique Pouponneau (Alliance of Small Island States, UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development Advisory Board,
Dr Asha de Vos, Oceanswell, Sri Lanka)

Ocean youth:

Inès Boujmil (BlueMed Ambassador in Tunisia, Fisheries & Environmental Engineer at National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies)
Camille Rivera (Oceanus Conservation, Philippines)
Sivajyodee Sannassy (Bangor University, UK)
Lasuni Chathurima Gule Godage (Ocean University of Sri Lanka via video message).

Moderated by: Professor Heather Koldewey, Lead, Bertarelli Foundation’s Marine Science Programme, Zoological Society of London, with an introduction by Dona Bertarelli, Bertarelli Foundation, and Alison Clausen, IOC UNESCO, with concluding comments from Dr Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue.

The recording of the live-event is available to watch below:

Sentinel Species Research

Webinar: Tropical Seabird Ecology

Tropical Seabird Ecology

In the second episode of the 2022 Bertarelli Foundation’s marine science webinar, Helen Czerski introduced a panel of speakers who are all working on and around themes of tropical seabird ecology.

Seabirds are beautifully adapted for life in the ocean, join us as we discuss, learn and wonder about these charismatic and highly visible predators of marine ecosystems.

Following the short talks, members of the public were invited to ask questions on this topic.

Speakers:

Dr. Helen Czerski – moderator
Alice Trevail – University of Exeter
Annette Fayet – Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Peter Carr – Institute of Zoology
Robin Freeman – Zoological Society of London

You can watch a recording of the webinar below:

Any unanswered questions from the live webinar will be available on the website shortly.

Coral ReefsImproving MPA Management

Our Ocean, Our People, Our Prosperity

Prof Heather Koldewey, Lead, Bertarelli Foundation’s Marine Science Programme

It’s a blustery sunny day as I walk along my beach at home in Cornwall. As I look out across the infinite blue water, I think of the opportunities for action at the Our Ocean conference taking place on the other side of the ocean in Palau. This extraordinarily beautiful archipelago of over 500 islands in the western Pacific has long been on my bucket list, not just for its incredible marine life but also because of the global leadership this small island developing state (SIDS) has taken in fully protecting 80% of its waters. Sadly, this time it was not to be for me as Covid struck meaning I was unable to travel. With quick reorganisation of some very complex logistics, the Marine Science programme was represented by Alexy Khrizman, our PhD student from Stanford University working on coral reefs in Palau and the Chagos Archipelago. Alexy sent news and images throughout the two days of the conference, shared on our @Marine_Science Twitter feed.

Image credit: Jack Fishman (PADI Aware)

I closely followed the conference online – how would Our Ocean deliver in the twice-delayed Ocean Super Year? Would momentum build from COP26 in Glasgow in recognising the ocean crisis is the climate crisis? How do these gatherings really make a difference for the planet, especially as we scrutinise the carbon footprint of every trip we make in the name of conservation? How can we make the most difference for the ocean in the shortest period of time?

The Our Ocean conferences have been defined by the hundreds of commitments of billions of dollars from governments, business, and civil society. A new report launched by the team from Oregon State University found that two-thirds of these commitments had been met, with real progress towards the rest. This encouraging analysis gives real optimism for the likely success of the impressive additional 410 commitments amounting to USD$16.35 billion made in Palau this week. However, the level of urgency and anxiety were clear. There are major problems to be solved. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing proliferates, the high seas treaty remains mired in political inertia, there are risks to MPAs due to economic crises, we are not meeting international targets for ocean sustainability, and there is an overall lack of urgent action even when we know the solutions. However, this week it seems the shipping sector stepped up to reduce their emissions, new technologies, tools, partnerships and collaborations were announced, and there was more engagement in the High Ambition Coalition of Nature and People.

The Our Ocean leaders were passionate and profound, but the voices of Palau that resonated most were those of indigenous communities and youth. These are voices we need to listen to, to hear and to act upon. The ocean currents from Palau will make waves to the UN Ocean Summit in Lisbon in June. From our perspective in the Marine Science programme, we continue to work to bring science into management and policy. The 121 scientific papers from our programme over the last four years demonstrate and reinforce the value of MPAs for biodiversity protection and ocean resilience. Our marine scientists are ocean leaders. We will be working hard from now till Lisbon, for the ocean, for people and for prosperity.

Coral Reefs

Webinar: Ocean Exploration – Past, Present and Future

Ocean Exploration - Past, Present and Future

In the first episode of the 2022 series of the Bertarelli Foundation’s marine science webinar, Helen Czerski introduced five wonderful speakers working on and around themes of ocean exploration.

With the ever-turning wheel of progress and research in motion, ocean exploration has come a vast way since the days of yore and navigating by stars. Operational processes have changed dramatically in the past decade, technology has bloomed in the digital era, familiar waters are not so familiar anymore. This webinar delivered an insight into an array of these topics – through the past that has laid foundation for the present, and paves the way forward in the world of ocean exploration.

Following the short talks, members of the public were invited to ask questions on this fascinating topic.

Speakers:

Dr. Helen Czerski
Paul Rose – National Geographic Pristine Seas
Prof. Kerry Howell – University of Plymouth
Martin Collins – British Antarctic Survey
Sheena Talma and Lucy Woodall – Nekton

You can watch a recording of the webinar below:

Any unanswered questions from the live webinar will be available on the website shortly.