Fisheries and Oceans Canada has announced that the National Framework for Canada’s Network of Marine Protected Areas was approved in principle on September 1st by the federal-provincial-territorial Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers. The National Framework document provides strategic direction for the design of a national network of MPAs, including the overarching vision and goals; design properties; eligibility criteria for inclusion in the network; network governance structure; and guidance for promoting national consistency in bioregional network planning. Canada will now move ahead with National Framework implementation, including marine protected area network planning at the bioregional level. The entire National Framework document is available at this link.…

It was a wonderfully productive weekend with Ted Turner on his spectacularly unspoiled ranch in Montana. Ted has played a major role in saving bison from extinction and reintroducing wolves into North America. Ted knows how to howl like a wolf and did so (under the full moon of course.) And the 22 wolves on Ted’s ranch howled back!  Ted once won the America’s Cup and created CNN. He is now a champion for the environment and good causes. Ted, along with Sylvia Earle is also an Ocean Elder and we spent much of the weekend preparing for the first Ocean Elders meeting. What should the priorities be? Stopping fishermen from dragging the bottom of our oceans? Creating marine parks over 20% of our oceans?…

Or shall we say Ultimate Blue Game Changer?  The Huffington Post is currently running an online competition for the Ultimate Green Game Changer, and we’re proud that Dr. Sylvia Earle has been nominated. To vote for ‘Her Deepness’ and speak out for our ocean planet, follow this link!…

“This afternoon. September 6, 2011- the CA senate voted 25-8 to ban shark fin soup in California. Thanks to Wild Aid and many partners such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Humane Society of the United States and Oceana… as well as all those who worked for this and contacted their Senators.” ~ Peter Knights…

Santo Domingo, 9/11/2011 On Saturday, September 10, 2011 guests at the first Dominican Republic Environment Film Festival (DREFF) joined with marine mammal conservation experts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dominican Republic’s historic Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The people of the DR formed the very first marine mammal sanctuary and it has grown over the years to be about equal in size to the land area of the country.  The celebration was organized in partnership with GFDD and FUNGLODE and was held at FUNGLODE’s headquarters in Santo Domingo, preceded by the screening of the documentary film Ocean Voyageurs. The film follows a mother whale and her young calf on their sometimes perilous journey of discovery, and much of the footage presented was captured at the Marine Mammal Sanctuary off the coast of Samaná.…

The legendary oceanographer calls the Arctic a ‘hope spot.’  In other words, she said, we still have time to get it right. You were part of the Aspen Institute Commission on Arctic Climate Change, which released a report on the Arctic in early 2011. What did the report say? The report underscores the opportunity that now exists, as never before.  Because never before have we known the risks, never before have we understood the impacts that the Arctic has on the world as a whole, as a driver of climate, related to such broad issues as sea level rise. The Arctic has a disproportionate impact on the world given its relatively small size. This is a moment in history when we will take actions one way or the other–or inactions–but we humans will influence much that determines the fate and future of the Arctic, the people and the creatures who live there.…

ASPEN, Colo., Aug. 25 PR Newswire The independent group of global leaders aims to put ocean conservation at the forefront of the global agenda. Ted Turner, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Sir Richard Branson have joined together to help launch OceanElders to help put ocean conservation at the forefront of the global agenda. The newly formed non-profit organization brings together global leaders to use their wide range of experience and influence, supported by science and data, to pursue the protection of the ocean’s habitat and wildlife. Joining Mr. Turner, Dr. Earle and Sir Richard Branson as founding Ocean Elders are Jackson Browne, Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Graeme Kelleher, Sven Linblad, Captain Don Walsh and Neil Young. “I have a great love for the oceans and I believe that we need a plan to save them,” said Mr.…