Boskalis’ Post

An extraordinary shark dive in Fiji The Pacific Island nation of Fiji is world-renowned for its vibrant marine life, from colorful coral reefs to manta rays and sea turtles. 🐢🐠 But one small village is making a name for itself by offering what some call the planet’s premier shark dive experience. 🦈 In a remote corner of Fiji, an ingenious community project has turned a damaged reef into a thriving shark habitat. By providing protection from fishing, the villagers have allowed the local shark population to flourish once more.👍 Now, divers flock from across the globe to swim among reef, bull, nurse and lemon sharks in this unlikely ocean oasis. It's a surreal adventure and a testament to how dynamic marine ecosystems can be when given the chance. 🤿 Most remarkably, proceeds from "shark dive tourism" have provided steady income for village families. It's a sustainable model that puts power back in the hands of local communities👐 As pressure mounts on the world’s reefs, this Fijian village offers inspiration – and a compelling reason to safeguard sharks and our precious blue planet. 💙 🌍 #BlueEconomy #SDG14 #SustainableSeas #OceanConservation #MarineEconomy #OceanSustainability #SeafoodSustainability #BlueTech #EcoTourism #MarineResources #CoastalDevelopment #FisheriesManagement #OceanInnovation #GreenShipping #OceanProtection #SeaConservation #MaritimeIndustry #BlueGrowth #SustainableFisheries #OceanPolicy #BlueFinance Recycle Up! Ghana Plastic Punch Sabina Abuga

Last week I was extremely fortunate to reconnect with the wonderful Mars NZ Leadership Team in tropical north Queensland.   We spent one of days together on the outer Great Barrier Reef seeing first-hand some of the amazing work Mars and the Reef Cooperative are doing to protect and restore one of the most astonishing and vital ecosystems on earth. Specifically, we were visiting a site where the innovative MARRS stars are used to reseed millions of coral larvae on rubble sites where coral has been destroyed by storms.     The Reef Cooperative is a true cross-sector collaboration utilising the brains, resources and passion of Traditional Owners, marine biologists and corporate partners. It’s an inspiring model for how academic science, cutting-edge technology, corporate funding and expertise, and indigenous knowledge and perspective can come together to start solving the world’s most intractable problems. No single party has the resources, reach, or knowledge to address these problems alone. Together, solutions become possible.   Of course, accurate and current data on reef health is vital in order for protection/rebuilding efforts like these to be targeted wisely. Gathering this data is challenging given the size and remoteness of the GBR – parts of which have never been visited.   Andy Ridley, founder of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, talked to us about The Great Reef Census which utilises a flotilla of dive boats, tourism vessels, superyachts, fishing charters, tug boats and island operations to capture tens of thousands of survey images from the hundreds of reefs across the GBR.  These images are then analysed by a combination of AI and human-eye…thousands of everyday people, ‘citizen scientists', across the world, providing data to drive better decision-making about reef protection.   This is collaborative conservation work at scale and it's deeply impressive. Anyone, anywhere in the world, with access to a laptop can get involved. They are currently engaging with schools to inspire children to put their screen time to good use.   I left the reef inspired and energised to see this work in action and to meet the passionate, dedicated people involved. If you are intrigued check out the link below. https://lnkd.in/gVzRTGe6 Thanks for having me along team!   #greatreefcensus #systemicteamcoaching

How we can choose travel for good...

Sightings on site visit to a reserve near Hoedspruit! Nature just going about its business as it has for many thousands of years, paying the humans no attention. Maintaining protected areas is a crucial part of sustaining the ecosystem services we depend on, and they cannot be allowed to succumb to poachers and other destructive forces. At the same time, reserves must benefit their surrounding communities, whether through shareholding, jobs, local procurement or sustainable harvesting of resources in designated areas. Protected areas have to be worth more "alive than dead" to surrounding communities - they have to provide tangible, immediate benefits to the generally low-income local communities, so that they benefit from helping to keep the reserves free from poachers etc. That way, the vitally important long-term and intangible benefits of protected areas will follow. #protectedareas #reserve #tourism #environmentalconsulting #ecotourism #sustainability #parks #lovemyjob

Saving Sea Turtles and Boat Building in Nungwi, Zanzibar

Traffic Jam on the Nyinggulu reef in Australia. This is what a healthy, thriving ecosystem looks like. An ecosystem we must protect at all costs. The Nyinggulu reef is one of the longest and most pristine reefs in the world, it has an unusually narrow continental shelf. The deep oceanic waters, the reef and coastline communities are in close proximity resulting in a huge array of internationally significant and healthy marine life coexisting in one area. #oceans #water #australia

As the ECOP Africa, we are firmly opposed to the practice of trophy hunting. We believe trophy hunting is detrimental to biodiversity conservation and has enabled an economy of corruption that continues to incentivize harmful practices. Instead, we advocate for the promotion and effective development of community-driven ecotourism economies. By supporting alternative livelihoods for local communities centered around sustainable ecotourism, we can protect Africa's precious wildlife and habitats while empowering residents as stewards of their natural resources. Ecotourism offers a path forward that is better aligned with the long-term wellbeing of both people and planet. We call for the total abolition of trophy hunting and a concerted effort to transition to ecotourism-based conservation and development models across the continent. Join us in our mission to safeguard Africa's biodiversity for generations to come. #ConservationMatters #EcotourismForGood #AfricaRising Early Career Ocean Professionals

☘️During the “Mangroves as Foundations for the #BlueEconomy” course, in the heart of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, our students and instructors found themselves in the stilt village of #NuevaVenecia: a place where instead of streets, there is salt and freshwater, and canoes and motorboats are the forms of transportation🚣. For the local community, the surrounding #mangroves have invaluable importance. They not only provide protection for fauna🌿, but also drive #ecotourism and support fishing, which are vital activities for the community’s subsistence. However, in their efforts to develop socially and economically sustainable activities, they face constant challenges such as gentrification and the interventions of people from outside the community, in addition to the “mangrove exploiters” who illegally exploit resources to produce coal🧨. Some social leaders spoke about how the lack of articulation between the many entities and organizations that go to work in the town -both public and private- results in projects that do not achieve their objectives. 🗣️Once again, this experience makes us reflect about the importance of community involvement in all future projects, and the strategies required to ensure their #activeparticipation.🤝

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE. You often hear people say it, but what does that even mean? It’s simple – it means viewing your destination as more than just an item to tick off your bucket list. It’s about engaging deeply with the places you visit, learning about the local community and unique wildlife (think penguins, sloths, pumas, sea turtles and more!), and finding meaningful ways to support them. One way to add a sense of purpose to your travel experience is by volunteering with conservation programs. Where would you like to go? Mozambique is a dream destination for many, and we totally understand why! Soaking up the sun and enjoying the local cuisine is a must-do. But you also have the opportunity to give back by contributing to dolphin, turtle and dugong conservation efforts. Dive into the warm waters around Benguela Island as you monitor these incredible marine animals, working to ensure their survival. If you’ve been planning a trip to South Africa, then penguins are probably high up on your list. We get it, they’re adorable! But instead of just observing them, why not help protect them by joining a conservation program? Work closely with these incredible birds, as well as whales and sharks, as you learn about their habitats and contribute to research and education efforts. And if rainforests are more your thing, then you’ve probably been noodling with the idea of visiting the Amazon. While there, you can help protect the Peruvian Amazon and the iconic wildlife, like spider monkeys, jaguars, sloths, pumas, anacondas and river otters that call it home. GVI’s Flex programs offer participants the unique opportunity to engage in ethical conservation projects while still having the freedom and flexibility to travel and explore. GVI Flex is for you if: You’re looking for more than just a holiday You want to work with marine life and participate in conservation projects You love the independence that comes with solo travel You enjoy being immersed in the culture of the places you visit You want to make friends with like-minded people on your journey #solotravel #travelwithapurpose #ecotourism #volunteerabroad #sustainabletourism

Several key aspects highlighting the importance of the Sea Turtle festival in Diani – the communities can preserve and showcase their cultural identity, fostering a sense of pride and providing opportunities for social interaction and networking. The Festival involve collaborative efforts among individuals, local businesses, and community organizations, promoting teamwork and cooperation. The festival attract visitors from near and far, stimulating tourism and provide opportunities for cultural exchange and dialogue, fostering understanding the crucial role of the environment and the importance of taking common actions. #bluetransformation #blueeconomy #sustainability #environment