Aimed at studying the history of ocean ecology to predict future impacts from human interactions, the information gathered through research studies is essential to help lawmakers, regulators, and conservationists set appropriate targets for marine conservation efforts that take into account the sustained health and productivity of the world’s oceans.
“We are proud to be advancing the science of marine conservation biology and historical marine ecology by supporting these efforts to better understand the history of our oceans,” said Dr. Lance Morgan, president and CEO of Marine Conservation Institute, a globally focused nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining healthy, living oceans.
Out of 91 applications for research ranging from Antarctica to the Bering Sea, the 2012 Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grant Recipients are:
- Canan Cakirar, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences “Confronting the ‘myth of the bitter sea’: pre-historic exploitation of the eastern Mediterranean seascape.”
- Jock Currie, University of Cape Town “Reconstructing baselines prior to industrial fishing in South Africa — supporting the implementation of offshore marine protected areas.”
- Luis A. Huckstadt, University of California Santa Cruz “Is a century of human intervention enough to change the ecology of an Antarctic marine top predator: the Weddell seal?”
- Alexis M. Jackson, University of California Santa Cruz “Molecular approaches to better monitor population sizes and the impact of Marine Protected Areas on commercial species lacking baseline fisheries data.”
” The four projects we selected to fund will help establish historical baselines for ocean and coastal environments to better manage and protect imperiled ocean resources for the future,” said Morgan.
The grant program, made possible by funding from Holland America Line, is a tribute to Dr. Mia J. Tegner, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who died in January 2001 while diving off the Southern California coast.
“I am impressed with the passion and dedication of these researchers whose work covers a wide variety of disciplines,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs, Holland America Line. “I am proud that Holland America Line can help support these important programs again in 2012.”
Holland America’s funding is an extension of “Our Marvelous Oceans,” a three-year program announced by the two partners in 2010. The partnership also includes guest and staff education, support for marine conservation biology research and the recent creation of a sustainable seafood program with environmentally responsible purchasing practices and menus that showcase sustainable seafood.
Photo Henrik Johansson via Compfight
Chris Owen is a travel writer from Orlando Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information on cruise vacations with travelers. Certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris can be found via the popular travel blog, ChrisCruises.net and on the long-running cruise information website, YourCruiseDream.com.
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