Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium will host a new coalition of aquariums, zoos and governmental agencies to address critical needs for the conservation of marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds and other species worldwide.

Mote senior scientist Dr. John Reynolds will lead the new International Consortium for Marine Conservation.
Reynolds, who is the immediate past chairman of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, announced the new consortium this week during the Second Signatory State Meeting of the Dugong MOU of the Convention of Migratory Species of the United Nations Environment Programme in Manila, Philippines.

“Traditional thinking has been that if you do good science, conservation will follow as a natural outcome,” Reynolds said in a prepared statement. “But in reality, the translation from science to conservation is far from automatic. If the social and political will to make change isn’t there, then the conservation measures that are needed will never be enacted. Science is extremely valuable to inform conservation decisions, but conservation takes much more than just the science to succeed.”

Instead of focusing only on science, the group plans to bring in groups with social, economic, cultural and policy specialties to work proactively on environmental issues.

Contact Robin Hartill at rhartill@yourobserver.com.

 

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