Welcome to Oceana’s 16th Annual SeaChange Summer Party!
We are so thrilled you are joining us tonight to celebrate the oceans. The support and generosity of the SeaChange family over the years has played an important role in Oceana’s campaigns to restore ocean health and abundance. Together, we have raised nearly $19 million for ocean conservation here at home in California and around the world. Thank you!
We have an exciting program for you this evening hosted by actress, author, and Oceana supporter June Diane Raphael. She will help us celebrate Honoree Morgan Freeman and Ocean Champion Paul Naudé. We will close the evening with a wonderful performance by the legendary band, Third Eye Blind.
As the largest international organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, Oceana continues to deliver results. Since 2001, Oceana has protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and won more than 275 significant policy victories. With your help, we can rebuild ocean abundance, preserve critical habitat and marine life, and feed one billion people a healthy seafood meal every day, forever.
In just the last year, Oceana and our allies have won more than 25 victories. In the United States, Washington, Oregon, Los Angeles, San Diego, and New York City passed new laws to reduce plastic pollution. Our campaigning was instrumental in protecting more than 600 square miles of deep-sea corals off the coast of California. And in Chile, Oceana and our artisanal fishing allies helped establish the first coastal marine protected area in the country safeguarding the biodiversity of rich kelp forests.
Since we last gathered, we have made monumental progress for sharks, the ocean’s top predator. The United States banned the buying and selling of shark fins and is now officially out of the global shark fin trade. In Peru, Oceana and our allies successfully campaigned for a new law that makes wildlife trafficking illegal in the country’s Law Against Organized Crime. This will help protect hundreds of species, including sharks. And right here in California, Oceana helped remove the last deadly large mesh drift gillnets from the ocean, protecting sharks, whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles, and other important fish species.
These concrete results demonstrate that with your partnership Oceana truly delivers for the oceans. Tonight, we celebrate these achievements while focusing on the work ahead, including the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the oceans by 2030. Your participation and support help ensure that every child inherits a healthy, abundant sea!
For the oceans, Elizabeth Wahler
SeaChange
Co-Chair and Oceana Board Member
Karen Cahill
SeaChange Co-Chair
Photo by Nick Dunn
SPECIAL GUESTS
Honoring — Morgan Freeman
Multi-award-winning actor Morgan Freeman is known around the globe for his critically and commercially successful films. Freeman’s movies have earned over $5 billion in ticket sales, placing him firmly in the list of 10 top-grossing actors worldwide.
In 2005 Freeman won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in “Million Dollar Baby.” Freeman also received an Academy Award nomination in 1987 for Best Supporting Actor for “Street Smart,” in 1994 for Best Actor for “The Shawshank Redemption,” and in 2010 for Best Actor for “Invictus.” He also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance in “Driving Miss Daisy” in 1990.
Freeman was honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2018, recognizing his career and humanitarian accomplishments. At the 2011 Golden Globe Awards he was bestowed with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and that same year he received the 39th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000, Freeman was given the coveted Kennedy Center Honor for his distinguished acting and was also presented with the Hollywood Actor Award by the Hollywood Film Festival.
In 2010, Freeman won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor for his performance as Nelson Mandela in “Invictus.” In addition to his Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, he also received a Golden Globe nomination and a Broadcast Critics Association nomination. Invictus was produced by Revelations Entertainment, the company Freeman co-founded in 1996 with Lori McCreary. Since its inception, Revelations Entertainment has continued to be the frontrunner in the field of digital technology.
Freeman was recently seen in “A Good Person,” “57 Seconds,” “Paradise Highway,” “The Minute You Wake Up Dead,” “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” “Vanquish,” “Hate to See You Go,” and “The Ritual Killer,” “Coming 2 America” and
“The Comeback Trail”. He was also cast in, “Angel has Fallen,” and “The Poison Rose,” Disney’s “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” Broad Green Pictures’ “Just Getting Started,” Warner Bros.’ “Going In Style,” Paramount Pictures’ “Ben-Hur,” Summit Entertainment’s “Now You See Me 2” Focus Features’ “London Has Fallen,” Universal’s “Ted 2,” “Last Knights,” “Lucy,” "Dolphin Tale 2," "Transcendence," "The Lego Movie," "Last Vegas," "Now You See Me," "Oblivion," "Olympus Has Fallen" and "The Dark Knight Rises."
Freeman’s current projects include The History Channel’s, “Black Patriots: The 761st Battalion,” produced by Freeman and McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment, and a starring role in “Special Ops: LIONESS,” produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios for Paramount+.
Most recently through Revelations Entertainment, he was an Executive Producer on the timely and powerful true drama “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain” and “Princess of the Row.” Also through Revelations Entertainment, Freeman hosted and produced a nonfiction series for the History Channel entitled “Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman” about the biggest jailbreaks from the world’s more notorious prisons. Freeman was an executive producer with McCreary on the Revelations series “Madam Secretary” for CBS, starring Téa Leoni, which recently aired its sixth and final season. He hosted and was an executive producer also for the three-time Emmy nominated Revelations series “Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman” for Science Channel. Also through Revelations, he hosted both the Emmy nominated event series “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” for three seasons and “The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman,” on the National Geographic Channel.
Revelations’ features include “5 Flights Up,” starring Freeman, “Invictus,” “The Code,” “The Magic of Belle Isle,” “Levity,” “Under Suspicion,” “Mutiny,” “Bopha!”, “Along Came a Spider,” “Feast of Love,” “10 Items or Less,” “Maiden Heist” and the Peabody Award winning ESPN 30 For 30 documentary, “The 16th Man.”
Freeman narrated the documentary “March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step,” for which he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Narrator. He also narrated “The C-Word,” IMAX documentary “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar," Science Channel’s “Stem Cell Universe with Stephen Hawking” and history documentary "We the People." Past narrations include two Academy Award-winning documentaries,
“The Long Way Home” and “The March of The Penguins.”
Other credits include “Dolphin’s Tale,” “Born to be Wild 3D,” “The Dark Knight,” “The Bucket List,” “Glory,” “Clean and Sober,” “Lean on Me,” “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Unforgiven,” “Se7en,” “Kiss the Girls,” “Amistad,” “Deep Impact,” “Nurse Betty,” “The Sum of All Fears,” “Bruce Almighty,” ”Coriolanus,” “Attica,” “Brubaker,” “Eyewitness,” “Death of a Prophet,” and “Along Came a Spider.”
After beginning his acting career on the off-Broadway stage productions of “The Niggerlovers” and the all African-American production of “Hello Dolly”, Freeman segued into television. Many people grew up watching him on the long-running Children's Television Workshop classic “The Electric Company,” where he played the iconic Easy Reader among several recurring characters. Looking for his next challenge, he set his sights on both Broadway and the silver screen simultaneously and quickly began to fill his resume with memorable performances.
In 1978 Freeman won a Drama Desk Award for his role as Zeke in “The Mighty Gents.” He also received a Tony Nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor.
His stage work continued to earn him accolades and awards, including Obie Awards in 1980, 1984 and 1987 and a second Drama Desk Nomination in 1987 for the role of Hoke Colburn, which he created for the Alfred Uhry play “Driving Miss Daisy” and reprised in the 1989 movie of the same name.
In his spare time, Freeman loves the freedom of both sea and sky; he is a long-time sailor and has earned a private pilot’s license. He also has a love for the blues and seeks to keep it in the forefront through his Ground Zero club in Clarksville, Mississippi, the birthplace of the blues. In 1973 he co-founded the Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop, now in its 37th season. The workshop seeks to serve successful playwrights of the new millennium. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Earth Biofuels, a company whose mission is to promote the use of cleanburning fuels. He also supports Artists for a New South Africa and the Campaign for Female Education.
Freeman has been named on the Forbes “Most Trustworthy Celebrities” list each of the five times it has been published since 2006.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Ocean Champion — Paul Naudé
Paul Naudé’s story starts in the Bay of Plenty, Durban, South Africa. At a young age, his passion for the ocean and riding waves led to learning the craft of surfboard building and innovation. From South Africa, Paul’s competitive surfing skills took him around the world including to Hawaii where he competed at the highest level and quickly cemented
his place as a leader among the global surf tribe. In 1976, Paul started ZigZag Magazine, widely recognized as one of the most respected and longest running surf media publications in existence and it is still relevant today. In the 80’s he traded in his caliper, clippings, and contest jersey to help Michael Tomson run the Gotcha brand, the most radical and influential surf brand of its era, if not ever. This role brought Paul to California where he was later appointed President of Billabong in 1998. After being one of the key players in building the Billabong group into the biggest multi-brand holding in the surf industry’s history, in 2014, Paul opted for a change, and created the Vissla surf brand. Vissla has since challenged the surf market with a foundation in craftmanship and true surf culture, winning multiple awards, establishing business in over 40 countries, celebrating the work of Creators & Innovators in surf culture, and pushing an aggressive sustainability agenda.
Throughout his career, Paul has stayed true to his ocean roots and earned a reputation as a steward for the environment. He has helped raise millions in funding for ocean conservation NGOs
as President of Surf Industry Members Association’s SIMA Environmental Fund, been a steadfast partner for Surfrider Foundation, influenced the Coastal Defender Coalition, supported Save the Waves Coalition, Surfers Against Sewage, Oceana and numerous other Ocean related environmental organizations. His other passion is African wildlife, and he Co-Founded The Chipembere Foundation, working to protect African Rhino. As a reflection of Paul’s commitment, Vissla has collaborated with Surfrider, Surfers Against Sewage, SIMA’s Waterman’s Annual Gala, Dr. Cliff Kapono, The Ecology Center and other similar groups. Despite the challenges involved, Paul has grown the percent of sustainable products in the Vissla line from 30% in 2017 to now over 75% with an ongoing commitment to continue innovating business practices in order to minimize environmental impact, and ultimately to protect the ocean.
If you can’t reach Paul on his flip phone, he is either surfing, taking world-class photographs, adding a vintage surfboard to his collection of over 500, making organic wine, upcycling something, or hand shaping and laminating surfboards for a lucky few.
Picture by Jason Naudé
SPECIAL GUESTS
Musical Guest — Third Eye Blind
Since 1997, San Francisco’s Third Eye Blind has recorded five bestselling albums and assembled one career retrospective. Led by Stephan Jenkins, 3EB has earned worldwide success during a tumultuous group of years when the major-label recording industry was finally losing its grip on an enterprise that for decades it had dominated with steely efficiency. Nothing could have made 3EB happier!
Third Eye Blind’s 2021 album Our Bande Apart was recorded when lockdown ended, with Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast and Ryan Olson of Poliça. The band has continued to gain artistic clarification—and, surprisingly, a fanbase that is larger, younger and more dedicated than ever.
Master of Ceremonies — June Diane Raphael
June Diane Raphael is an activist, actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. In 2019, she coauthored Represent: The Woman’s Guide to Running for Office and Changing the World to help women get into politics. A climate justice activist, June protested and demanded a Green New Deal as part of Fire Drill Fridays with Jane Fonda in Washington, DC. She is a When We All Vote Ambassador. She’s also an active supporter of organizations that empower, defend, and protect women and those who identify as women, including Fund Her, the National Women’s Law Center, and Together for Her. She volunteers at weekly phone banks for Reclaim Our Vote, Swing Left, and Nithya Raman’s LA City Council Campaign.
June founded The Jane Club, a community for women and caretakers that recently went online, offering an
Third Eye Blind is supporting SeaTrees on its 2022 tour, an organization that helps restore a portion of the Palos Verdes Kelp Forest. The latest science shows that globally, kelp forests can sequester more carbon than mangrove forests . As much as 83% of the global carbon cycle is circulated through the ocean, so these ecosystems are critical to solving climate change.
entire village of support to “Janes” across the United States and around the world. June has appeared in numerous films and television shows. She co-starred in the hit Netflix series Grace and Frankie as Brianna, Jane Fonda’s bold, entrepreneurial daughter, that just finished its seventh and final season. She co-starred opposite Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson in the Focus Features/ Working Title film, The High Note directed by Nisha Ganatra. She was also recently seen opposite Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen in Lionsgate’s comedy, Long Shot. June also co-hosts the Deep Dive podcast with her best friend Jessica St. Clair, taking a deep dive into a wide range of topics, from motherhood and family to feminism.
June resides in Los Angeles along with her husband Paul Scheer and their two children.
Co-Chairs
Karen Cahill
Elizabeth Whaler
Keith Addis
John Corbett
Bo Derek
Lace Alexander
Julie Anderson-Leonardo
Patricia Berns
Shahrzad Bina
Jeff Blasingame
Kelly Brochu
Brent Cahill
Karen Cahill
The Abrahams Family Fund
JoAnne Artman
Monique Bär
Herbert and Tamar Bedolfe
Dan Bennatt and Ashley Ellrich
Toni Berlinger
Michael and Patricia Berns
Dennis and Carol Berryman
Larry and Deborah Bridges
Marc and Patricia Brutten
Bruce and Karen Cahill
Dino and Leslie Cancellieri
John and Mary Carrington
Renetta Caya
Lang and Alison Cottrell
Donnie Crevier and Laurie Kraus
Randy and Sally Crockett
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen
January Jones
Angela Kinsey
Diane Lane
Vice-Chairs
Jeff Blasingame
Gabriel Serrato
Host Committee
Billy Magnussen
Austin Nichols
Oscar Nunez
Executive Committee
Kira Cahill
Leslie A. Cancellieri
Mary Carrington
Renetta Caya
Judy Chang
Sally Crockett
James and Ryan Cueva
Olivia Dahan
Anne Earhart
Jim and Patricia Edwards
Linda Edwards
Mark and Bhadra Gordon
Jim and Kelly Hallman
Joe and Jane Hanauer
Maralou Harrington
Jim Hedgecock and Alexis Self
Paul and Sara Heeschen
James and Michelle Jaeger
Karen Jaffe
Michele Johnson
Fletcher and Annemarie Jones
Karen Jordan
Dave and Suzie Kaplan
Jena King
Charlie and Lynda Kinstler
Scott and Melissa Knode
Eve Kornyei
Pamela George
Diana Hasenbalg
Julie Hill
Suzie Kim
Robert Kollar
Eve Kornyei Ruffatto
Bonnie Lee
Slane Lightburne
Event Committee
Mike Lake and Yvonne Schroeder
Ed and Amy Leasure
Christopher and Mandy Lee
Jack and Sara Lowell
Greg and Barbara MacGillivray
Shawn Marschel
Twyla Martin
Richard and Lisa Merage
Robert and Britt Meyer
James Moore and Susanne Elstein
Sir Thomas Moore and Laurie Rodnick
Richard Munsen and Deidra Wager
Mark and Mariellen Murray
Paul and Debbie Naudé
Carl and Janet Nolet
Northern Trust
Chair Emeriti
Ted Danson
Julie Hill
Christina Ochoa
Sally Pressman
Sam Trammell
Eve Kornyei
Britt Meyer
Valarie Van Cleave
Kate Walsh
Ursula Whittaker
Sara Lowell
Athena Merage
Britt and Robert Meyer
Dina Michelle
Janet Nolet
Bradley Pivar
Stephanie Rogers
Gabriel Serrato
Hunter Tate
Alicia Thompson
Julie Ann Ulcickas
Valarie Van Cleave
Ashley Wahler
Elizabeth Wahler
Jean Weiss
Christina Ochoa
Chase and Jena Offield
James and Sujo Offield
Dennis Panzer
Jacinthe Paquette
Doug and Teresa Pasquale
Justin Pham and Bonnie Lee
Matt Puzio and Daria Blyskal
Gena Reed
Sean Reily and Kathy Kristof
Stephen and Marisa Robbins
David and Susan Rockefeller
Louis and Laura Rohl
Pamela Roy
Jan Rubel
Fred and Wendy Salter
Anton and Jennifer Segerstrom
Elizabeth Segerstrom
Cherilyn Sheets
Michael and Suzie Silvers
South Coast Plaza
Sandy and Charna Sugar
Cyd and Steven Swerdlow
Alicia Thompson
Michael and Nancy Thompson Vitamin A
Elizabeth Wahler
Valaree Wahler
Uwe Waizenegger and Valarie Van Cleave
Colin Watson and Janee Pennington
Tim and Jean Weiss
Ray and Sandra Wirta
George and Susie Wood
Jean Wu
We wish to thank our Partners for their generous support of Oceana’s 2023
SeaChange Summer Party. Proceeds from the event will help OCEANA in its important work to protect and restore the world's oceans.
Presenting Partner Blancpain Pacific Coast
Partners Biossance
BMW and your Orange County BMW Centers Northern Trust
Robert and Britt Meyer
Alec's Ice Cream Steve and Laurie Duncan Loro Piana Tim and Jean Weiss
Monique Bär
Michael and Patricia Berns
Lourdes Bottger
Bruce and Karen Cahill CHANEL
Donnie Crevier and Laurie Kraus
Bruce and Analisa Albert Anonymous
Dennis and Carol Berryman
Dino and Leslie Cancellieri
David and Linda Chou
Giorgio Armani
Stephen and Madeline Gordon
Daniele Green
David and Diana Hasenbalg
Beto and Tamar Bedolfe
Daria Blyskal
Laura Louise Breyer
Larry and Deborah Bridges
Marc and Patricia Brutten
Burgess
John and Mary Carrington
James Cueva
Anne Earhart
Karen Jordan
Marisla Foundation
Carl and Janet Nolet
Gena Reed
Julie Hill
JoAnne Artman Gallery
The Harley and Kaira Rouda Family Foundation
Ed and Amy Leasure
Greg and Barbara MacGillivray
Doug and Cory Muehlhauser
Paul and Debbie Naudé
Justin Pham and Bonnie Lee
Steve and Shirley Quackenbush
Jin and Judy Chang
Randy and Sally Crockett
Dropps
Jim Hedgecock and Alexis Self
Dave and Suzie Kaplan
Ali and Christine Khalkhali
Jacob Loveless and Kelly Brochu
As of July 6, 2023
Louis and Laura Rohl
South Coast Plaza
Elizabeth Wahler
Valaree Wahler
Linda Young
Steve and Marisa Robbins
Anton and Jennifer Segerstrom
Sheets, Paquette & Wu Dental Practice
Michael and Suzie Silvers
Jim and Julie Ann Ulcickas
Uwe Waizenegger and Valarie Van Cleave
John Woodward and Holli Moon
Moroccanoil
Pamela Roy
Van Cleef & Arpels
Vitamin A
Waterloo Foundation
Mike and Wendy Wiley
George and Susie Wood
Oceana is grateful for the generous support of Sponsors and Underwriters
Presenting Partner
Blancpain
Pacific Coast Partners
Biossance
BMW and your Orange County BMW Centers
Northern Trust
Special Thank You
Keith Addis and Industry Entertainment Partners
Wine Sponsor
E & J Gallo Winery
Underwriters
Brite Ideas
Commerce Printing
Giorgio Armani
Leproux Collective
LIULI
Sand Cloud
Signature Party Rentals
Thank You to our Generous Auction Donors
Premier Donors
BMW and your Orange County BMW Centers
South Coast Plaza Boutiques
Berluti
Burberry
Delvaux
Diptyque
1 Hotel Central Park
ADAGIO
African Perfection
A'maree's
Aqua Expeditions
Avocado Green Mattress
Baja Discovery
Biossance
Blancpain
Chez Panisse
Christina Ochoa
Cotton House Hotel
Cristallini
Delectable OC
Elizabeth Wahler
Ergatta
Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las
Vegas Grand Prix
Fred Salter
Goodyear
Haus of Design
Hidden Doorways Travel
Hillsnek Safaris
Holli Moon
Hotel Healdsburg
Dolce & Gabbana
Frette
Giorgio Armani
Lanvin
Loro Piana
Mikimoto
Oscar de la Renta
Quattro Caffé
Donors
Inkaterra
James Verbicky
Julia Post Jewelry
Julie Crone
Katey Brunini
Katharine Story
Kelly Hanna Studio
Kim Seybert
Kyle Thomas
LaMonte Lamoureux Design
Lance Lee Davis
Larry Stewart
Lindblad Expeditions
LIULI
Lux Second Snob
Mark Maryanovich Photography
Mark Pomerantz
Mi Place
Mike and Wendy Wiley
Natural Selection Travel
Nelson de la Nuez
Neville Hockley
Nizuc Resort
Nolet Spirits
Ocdamia Music Group &
Yennie Electric Strings
As of July 6, 2023
Roger Vivier
South Coast Plaza
Thom Browne
Versace
One&Only Mandarina - Puerto Vallarta
One&Only Palmilla - Los Cabos
Paul Naudé
Pedro García
Robin Heirs
Safari Curators
Seis Soles Winery
Serrato+Co.
Sonja Bradley
Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
THE FINDGROUP
The Lodge at Blue Sky
The Modern
The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center
The Ranch
The Resort at Pelican Hill
The Sak
Tracey Thompson
Trisara Resort
Victoria House
Vissla
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Resort & Club
WeberStrength
VICTORIES
TOGETHER WITH OUR ALLIES:
2023
MAY
• New laws in Oregon prohibit plastic foam and enable refill systems.
APRIL
• New law in Washington state reduces plastic waste.
MARCH
• Mexico joins the port state measures agreement to address illegal fishing.
• Brazil’s Museum of Tomorrow becomes a plastic-free zone.
• Panama commits to reducing plastic pollution.
• Deep-sea corals and seafloor habitats are protected in U.S. Pacific waters.
FEBRUARY
• The European Commission calls for a ban on bottom trawling in all Marine Protected Areas by 2030.
• Oceana defends EU Policy to rebuild fisheries.
JANUARY
• Chile designates Pisagua Sea, as new Marine Protected Area.
• Chile rejects Dominga Mining Project.
• New York City limits single-use plastic utensils.
• New Chile law increases transparency in salmon farming.
2022
DECEMBER
• Amazon publicly reports on their plastic packaging footprint for the first time.
• German and Dutch Marine Protected Areas are closed to destructive fishing gear.
• Shark fin trade banned in the United States.
• The two largest cities in California ban plastic foam.
• United States protects whales, dolphins, and sea turtles from deadly drift gillnets.
NOVEMBER
• Mediterranean countries agree to mandatory disclosure of vessels allowed to fish in restricted areas.
• Dow Jones agrees to integrate illegal, unregulated, and unreported vessel checks into its risk screening systems.
• World leader in satellite communications Inmarsat stops services to vessels engaging in illegal fishing.
• A new international rule requires countries to investigate and deter companies from working with illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing vessels.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires seafood traceability from landing to the final point of sale.
• Peru protects sharks and other marine life from illegal trafficking.
OCTOBER
• Brazil’s leading food delivery service, iFood, commits to additional single-use plastic reductions.
SEPTEMBER
• Spain penalizes fishing vessels for turning off public tracking devices.
• Over 14,600 square kilometers of deep-sea habitats protected from bottom fishing in the Northeast Atlantic.
• Marine reserve expanded in Spain’s Balearic Islands.
AUGUST
• Chilean court rules in favor of Oceana, orders salmon farming company to release antibiotics data.
JUNE
• California enacts the boldest plastic pollution reduction policy in the nation.
• Canada eliminates the production, sale, and export of six types of ocean-polluting single-use plastics.
• The U.S. Department of the Interior announces a phase-out of single-use plastics in national parks, including 88 ocean and coastal parks.
APRIL
• Maine rejects permit for a huge salmon farm off the coast of Acadia national park.
• Canada sets new safeguards to rebuild fish stocks.
• New at-sea monitoring requirements will strengthen accountability and abundance in Northeast U.S. groundfish fishery.
MARCH
• Spain curbs ocean-polluting single-use plastics with new waste law.
• Canada protects two critically depleted forage fish.
• Norwegian insurance company Hydor ends coverage of three illegal fishing vessels.
FEBRUARY
• Coca-Cola pledges to reduce single-use bottles and increase refillables.
• Philippines government protects marine ecosystems and fishers from harmful coastal development projects.
Sam Waterston, Chair Actor/Activist
María Eugenia Girón, Vice Chair Business Leader
Diana Thomson, Treasurer The Nikita Foundation
James Sandler, Secretary The Sandler Foundation
Keith Addis, President Industry Entertainment Partners
Gary "Gaz" Alazraki
Alazraki Entertainment
Herbert M. Bedolfe, III Marisla Foundation
Ted Danson
Actor/Activist
Nicholas Davis
Fundación Punta de Lobos Euroamerica
Board of Directors
Maya Gabeira Professional Big Wave Surfer
César Gaviria World Lecturer
Loic Gouzer Ocean Advocate
Jena King
Jena and Michael King Foundation
Ben Koerner
Arcadia Fund
Sara Lowell Marisla Foundation
Dr. Kristian Parker
Oak Philanthropy Limited
Dr. Daniel Pauly
The University of British Columbia
David Rockefeller, Jr. Sailor/Conservationist
Mailing Information:
Oceana Board of Directors
c/o Oceana (Office of the CEO)
Susan Rockefeller Documentary Filmmaker
Lex Sant
The Summit Foundation
Simon Sidamon-Eristoff Kalbian Hagerty LLP
Dr. Rashid Sumaila
The University of British Columbia
Valarie Van Cleave
Ocean Advocate
Elizabeth Wahler Entrepreneur
Jean Weiss
Ocean Advocate
Antha Williams
Bloomberg Philanthropies
1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036 USA
Oceana’s expeditions are preserving important ocean habitats
An octopus and squat lobster take refuge underneath a sponge in Southern California waters.
Oceana has conducted over 55 expeditions to some of the farthest reaches of the world’s oceans.
“Being on the water allows us to capture the data and images we need to make these necessary habitat protections vividly real to policymakers,” Oceana CEO Andrew Sharpless says.
Oceana’s expeditions have helped protect nearly 4 million square miles of ocean habitat, supporting the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 (read more about this in the Spring 2023 issue of Oceana Magazine). In 2000, less than 1% of the waters off the countries where Oceana currently operates were protected. Today, about 17% of their waters are now protected. Much progress has been made off the West Coast of the United States, including off the coast of California, where 93% (206,360 square miles) of state and federal waters are closed to bottom trawling, a highly destructive form of fishing.
In recent years, Oceana’s campaigns have taken researchers from the deep-sea waters off the coast of Southern California all the way to a coral oasis surrounding Panaon Island in the Philippines.
Deep-Sea Corals Protected in Southern California Waters
The living seafloor of Southern California relies on healthy coral gardens, sponge beds, and rocky reefs for habitat, breeding, feeding, nurseries, and survival. Earlier this year, more than 600 square miles of this habitat were protected from all bottom fishing, including almost half of the area’s known deep-sea corals. These areas include coral and sponge ecosystems that were first discovered by Oceana during a 2016 scientific expedition. Using high-definition cameras inside a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Oceana scientists documented
many exciting finds that helped inform and advance the long-term conservation and management of these fragile, deep-sea habitats.
In addition to these new protections, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to reopen more than 4,500 square miles of Southern California ocean waters to recreational and nontrawl commercial gear used to catch groundfish. The entire area remains closed to bottom trawling – a fishing practice where huge nets are dragged for miles along the seafloor, bulldozing everything in their path. These changes are a win-win for fishing communities and ocean biodiversity and are the result of a unique collaboration between recreational and commercial fishermen, Oceana, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who worked together to design the new conservation areas.
Brittle stars, feather stars, gorgonian coral, sponge, and squat lobster nestled on the deep-sea floor in Southern California waters. During a 2016 expedition, Oceana researchers were the first to discover some coral and sponge ecosystems in this area.
Much farther north, another team of Oceana researchers explored the Gulf of Alaska’s seafloor. The team observed Alaskan wildlife, from Kodiak brown bears walking along the shoreline, to sea otters, fin whales, and fur seals swimming offshore. Using a ROV to inspect the seafloor in areas up to 3,300 feet deep, researchers discovered coral gardens teeming with life and recorded damaged seafloor and broken or missing corals. This damage was the result of bottom trawling.
The Gulf of Alaska is the last major region along the west coasts of the U.S. and Canada that remains open to bottom trawling. Oceana is now using the expedition’s discoveries to campaign for “freezing the footprint” of bottom trawling, preventing this destructive fishing method from expanding into untouched areas.
A Treasure Trove in Scorpion Reef
Alacranes ‘Scorpion’ Reef lies 90 miles north of the Yucatán Peninsula, a 10-hour boat ride from the coast. Because of its remote location compared to other reefs in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, Alacranes has remained relatively untouched.
To venture to this area, Oceana put together a team of scientists,
videographers, and a representative from expedition partner Blancpain. While evaluating the state of the reefs and fish in the area, the crew found a treasure trove of rich corals and marine life. The team used innovative photomosaic techniques to make detailed 3D maps of the seabed.
Despite its secluded location, Alacranes Reef still faces its share of threats. The Oceana team found old-growth colonies of elkhorn and staghorn coral that were wiped out by diseases. Some pathogens remain an ongoing issue. Lionfish, an invasive species, were documented everywhere visited and pose an existential threat to many species of native fish.
The team also spotted several boats illegally fishing, suggesting a lack of enforcement in the park. Oceana is campaigning to boost protections in Alacranes Reef and protect nearby reef, Bajos del Norte. The goal is to either declare it a separate protected area, or absorb it into the Alacranes Reef national park.
A bat star, hydrocoral, and an anemone on the Alaskan seafloor.
A sea fan in Alacranes Reef. Oceana explored this national reserve in Mexico to document the health of the corals and gather data on other marine life in the area.
Oceana and its allies have won nearly 70 victories that protect important marine habitats. Recent victories include:
The European Union commits to ban bottom trawling in all marine protected areas by 2030
Deep-sea corals and seafloor habitats protected in Southern California and Oregon waters
Chile creates a new marine protected area, Pisagua Sea
Chile rejects Dominga mining project, protects marine life and the important Humboldt region
German and Dutch marine protected areas closed to destructive fishing gear
Over 5,600 square miles of deepsea habitats protected from bottom trawling in the northeast Atlantic
Marine reserve expanded in Spain’s Balearic Islands
Philippines government protects marine ecosystems and fishers from harmful coastal development projects
Over 25,000 square miles of U.S. New England deep-sea corals protected from destructive fishing
Scotland creates a new marine protected area
More than 140,000 square miles of U.S. West Coast seafloor habitat protected from destructive fishing
Protecting Pisagua
Pisagua Bay is situated in northern Chile in the Tarapacá region. Little was known about Pisagua until Oceana and the Universidad Arturo Prat conducted four expeditions to the area in recent years. Over the course of its explorations, Oceana found rich biodiversity, including an abundance of krill, prawns, and young fish taking refuge among macroalgae forests. Larger animals like fish, mammals, and birds reproduce in this region, and Chile’s most important commercial fish – anchovies – release their eggs here. Data gathered during these expeditions made a strong case for developing a new marine protected area (MPA).
Pisagua’s abundance nourishes the local economy and the livelihoods of the community. Oceana collaborated directly with Pisagua artisanal fishers when developing a proposal for the MPA to ensure it would also benefit their community. In January 2023, ‘Pisagua Sea’ was officially protected, making it the first in Chile to preserve not only marine habitat and species, but also protect local artisanal fishers.
When Oceana started campaigning in Chile 17 years ago, less than 1% of its ocean was protected. Now, with MPAs in place, 43% of Chile’s waters are protected.
Coral Paradise in Panaon
In 2020, Oceana observed the coral-rich waters surrounding Panaon Island in the Philippines. This small island in the Southern Leyte province is part of the 50 Reefs Initiative, which, according to the initiative, are reefs that have “the potential of surviving the impacts of climate change and the ability to help repopulate neighboring reefs over time.” During the 21-day expedition, Oceana found that more than half of the coral reefs surrounding the island were in very good condition. Fish populations in the area were found to be diverse and abundant, as were seagrasses and mangroves.
While these reefs are thriving now, they face many risks that jeopardize their future. During the expedition, scientists found evidence of illegal and destructive fishing, and plastic pollution. These threats, along with the intensifying impacts of climate change, are why Oceana is campaigning for a national law declaring the reefs and marine ecosystems of Panaon Island a marine protected area.
“Oceana is grateful for our supporters who have helped us complete many successful expeditions and win habitat victories around the world,” Sharpless adds. “We know
protecting ocean habitat is key to restoring fisheries abundance, protecting livelihoods, and combating the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”
We know protecting ocean habitat is key to restoring fisheries abundance, protecting livelihoods, and combating the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
During an expedition to Panaon Island in the Philippines, Oceana observed the coral reefs in very good condition. Oceana is campaigning for a national protected area for these coral reefs so that they can thrive into the future. Opposite page: A humpback whale and calf breach the waters near Pisagua, Chile. Oceana conducted four expeditions to this area and its findings were key to establishing a marine protected area in January 2023.
Fifty Fathoms is for eternity.
Launched in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms is the first modern diver’s watch. Created by a diver and chosen by pioneers, it played a vital role in the development of scuba diving. It is the catalyst of our commitment to ocean conservation.
At BMW, we’re proud to be partners with Oceana and the SeaChange Summer Party.
We’re also making waves, offering environmentally conscious, forward-thinking vehicles, such as the first-ever BMW i4. Built in a plant using 100% renewable energy and made with sustainable materials – we’re able to minimize impact before it ever hits the road. Every little action can add up to something much bigger and better.
Your Orange County BMW Centers
Protecting our resources is always job one.
Northern Trust is proud to support Oceana. For more than 130 years, we’ve been meeting our clients’ financial needs while nurturing a culture of caring and a commitment to invest in the communities we serve. Because protecting our oceans and sea life helps make life better for us all.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Dino De Vita , Regional Managing Director
Global Family & Private Investment O ces 206-747-3998; dd24@ntrs.com
Scan the code to learn more, or visit northerntrust.com/familyo ce.
Alec's Ice Cream™, our planet’s first certified regenerative organic ice cream, is joining hands in support of Oceana to protect our precious oceans.
ICE CREAM THAT LOVES THE PLANET AS MUCH AS WE LOVE ICE CREAM
Regenerative organic is the first agricultural movement that has the power to improve the health of our planet. Alec’s hopes to help build a better future through soil health, carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, and the preservation of our clean water-sources.
Visit us at alecsicecream.com to learn more.
South Coast Plaza is honored to support and its mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans.
Thank You
Elizabeth, Valarie, Karen, Jeff and Gabe for your tireless work to ensure Oceana’s SeaChange Summer Party 16th anniversary celebration is a success!
Valaree
Wahler and Jeff Sherwood
With your gift the next generation can inherit a healthy ocean. Join the Crevier Family Foundation by including a gift for Oceana in your will, trust, or beneficiary designation. You can help restore and protect the marine wildlife and habitat for years to come!
Congratulations to Paul Naudé Oceana’s Ocean Champion
Thank you for your tireless work to bring back the integrity of our oceans and coasts.
Valarie Van Cleave and Uwe Waizenegger
Photo by Pagie Page
NOLET SPIRITS USA OCEANA’S SEACHANGE SUMMER PARTY
Michael and Tricia Berns begin descent to 1,000 ft in research sub stationed in Curacao, near South America. Sub operator and scientist were in sub but not shown in this photo.
MICHAEL AND TRICIA BERNS
helping scientists in a reef bio-diversity and gene sequencing project. We applaud and support the efforts of Oceana in their efforts to create a sustainable marine environment.
We are deeply grateful to Oceana Board President Keith Addis at Industry Entertainment Partners whose longstanding Board leadership helps ensure the success of the SeaChange Summer Party.
Thank you for your partnership of 16 years.
Your SeaChange and Oceana Family
Photo credit: Milos Prelevic
“We
applaud Oceana for their courageous, mindful and dedicated stewardship of our precious oceans and marine life around the globe.”
– Julie and Peter Hill and Sheets, Paquette, and Wu Dental Practice
“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”
- Ryunosuke Satoro
OCEANS OF GRATITUDE
To our wonderful volunteers who spend countless hours to ensure that the SeaChange Summer Party is a success. We couldn’t do it without you!
Photo credit: Ali Abdul Rahman
Meet Dropps
Want green cleaning products that work? Dropps harnesses the power of nature to make products that are convenient, and that really clean. By using Dropps, you are helping turn the tide against toxic pollution, plastic waste, and animal cruelty. Oh, and the dirt in your home.
Dropp the Toxic: Every product is free from harmful ingredients and toxic pollutants.
Dropp the Waste: Our ultra-concentrated formulas leave out unnecessary fillers and excess water. Dropps® proudly supports Oceana in its advocacy work
Dropp the Pollution: Dropps cardboard and glass packaging helps keep single-use plastic jugs out of landfills and carbon emissions out of the air.
Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands
Join us for one of the grandest wild experiences the planet offers. Spend days immersed in the extreme beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula in the company of top naturalists and National Geographic Photography Experts. Expand the wonder with an exploration of South Georgia—where vast colonies of king penguins throng the beaches and Sir Ernest Shackleton rests for eternity. Cap that off with time spent in the windswept Falklands, awash in British charm and history.
TAILOR-MADE EXPERIENCES
ELEGANT PERSONAL AND SOCIAL SPACES
ULTIMATE LUXURY AND COMFORT
WORLD-CLASS DINING
The luxurious Aqua Blu navigates Indonesia's most prized destinations including Raja Ampat, Komodo National Park, and the Spice Islands. Discover the world's most biodiverse marine habitats as you embark on action-packed excursions led by expert guides. Back on board, indulge in world-class cuisine inspired by the region's unique flavors.
Maximum Luxury. Minimal Impact.
Here at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, we know we’re lucky to be tucked along the California coast, just steps from the ocean. That’s why we make the conscious choice to minimize our impact on the environment through a variety of sustainability practices– like eliminating single-use plastics along with a quiver full of other efforts we are proud of!
Dine at our Surfrider Ocean-Friendly restaurant with fresh, local seafood. Pamper yourself with in-room amenities, made and packaged with natural ingredients. Speak with our staff about their volunteering efforts to keep the land & sea pristine. Experience luxury by the sea, knowing you, and the planet will be cared for.
To make a reservation, visit RanchLB.com or call (949) 499-2271
2 NIGHTS IN INKATERRA HACIENDA URUBAMBA
Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco
1 NIGHT IN INKATERRA LA CASONA Cusco City
2 NIGHTS IN INKATERRA MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO HOTEL
Machu Picchu Pueblo, Cusco
SAND CLOUD
J
It takes a village! The Rabin-Serrato family would like to thank all of those involved in SeaChange Summer Party 2023 and Oceana! Without your tireless work and support, our oceans would be in far worse conditions. Let's all keep up the good fight so that future generations can enjoy the beauty of our waters!
THE RABIN-SERRATO FAMILY
I am a Laguna Beach artist born and raised; I have been honing my craft in contemporary styled artwork for the last decade. Initially a full-time athlete, my notebooks overflowed with artistic creations. Eventually, it came time to hang up the cleats; with my old identity gone, I committed to something new. Soon the hours in the studio surpassed the hours in the ocean, and I knew that it would be this way forever. Years of athletics created an addictive passion for mastering every detail of my creation and finding new sources of inspiration. The only difference is that art is a game I cannot win, so it looks like I have a
ahead of me. One Love, Larry Stewart
DISCOVER MEXICO’S COASTAL RAINFOREST
Experience the undisturbed, awe-inspiring natural setting of One&Only Mandarina. A hidden retreat in Riviera Nayarit, with palm-fringed sands and swimmable shores. oneandonlymandarina.com
Thank You
For working hand in hand with Oceana to protect the world’s oceans. Congratulations on the Fifty Fathoms 70th anniversary.
"A
healthy ocean is every child’s rightful inheritance."
Our goal is to raise awareness and support for Oceana’s mission to restore the ocean’s bounty for ourselves and future generations.
A percentage of SeaChange proceeds will be donated to local ocean conservation groups.
