Covering over 70% of the earth’s surface, the ocean impacts every human being on the planet, but she means something different to everyone. The ocean fills the spirit of many, bringing peace and wonder with its meditative waves and unending mystery below the surface. She is life sustaining, providing oxygen for every other breath we take. She drives an economy, employing thousands through the fishing, transportation, hospitality, and restaurant industries. She shields us against climate change, absorbing 30% of carbon dioxide and regulating global weather patterns. And she offers promise to health and medical fields with compounds found in corals and sponges for treatments in cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. There are scores of books written about the human-water connection, or as Walter J Nichols calls it, the “Blue Mind”. Take a moment to consider what the ocean means to you. When you have an opportunity to take a good, long look at the ocean along the California coast, you will very likely see surfers and dolphins riding waves, whale spouts or breaches, and ships on the horizon. What you do not see are the fish and deep sea corals that are the very foundation of a healthy ocean, and feeding ground for the whales, dolphins and sea birds. Nor do you see the towering kelp forests off the coast that are home to over 1,000 species of animals and plants,
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and rocky reefs that explode with marine critters from elusive sharks to the endangered black sea bass. These deep sea ecosystems have been battling many threats over the past fifty years, including irresponsible and destructive fishing practices, invasive species, and climate change. Such threats have taken a toll on the parts of the ocean you cannot see. The great news is that with California’s Marine Protected Area program, we have the policy, technology and the tools to help her recover. When you can see a problem you can solve a problem. You may not be able to dive to 300 meters, but Marine Research & Exploration (MARE) can! With our specialized robotic submarines, MARE brings that deep sea to you, as well as to those responsible for making the rules about how we use our ocean through MPAs, our blue parks. Marine Protected Areas are similar to national parks and forests; they are designated areas in the ocean that are monitored and managed to protect fish and invertebrates like octopus and lobster, and restore valuable habitats, like corals. With minimal human disruption through limited or restricted activity, such as fishing, marine life and habitat living in the MPAs
