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Seas

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This was the "original" summit that broke ground for the current Sanctuary Summits that are being planned around the Sustainable Seas Expeditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a 15 minute video of the summit available. For more information, please contact the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (360) 457-6622 .

Education

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Olympic Coast


General Information
Post-Summit Summary
About Sylvia Earle


General Information

Date: May 18th, 1998
Location: Penninsula College, Port Angeles
Participants: Middle and High School students near the Olympic Coast
Theme: Year of the Ocean

Sylvia talking with students

Dr. Sylvia Earle talks with the students in a casual, intimate setting.

To commemorate "The Year of the Ocean", about 40 high school and middle school classes from areas near the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary participated in a student summit with Dr. Sylvia Earle, National Geographic's Explorer-in-Residence. The purpose of the summit was to foster a questioning attitude among young people and give students an opportunity to voice their concerns about the ocean and marine environment. The students who participated in the summit all live in rural areas, indian reservations, or small towns whose culture and economy depend heavily on the ocean.

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Post-Summit Summary

Overview

The summit was an occasion for relaxed, intimate dialogue between students and Dr. Earle. The students posed thought- provoking questions to Dr. Earle such as:

students in audience

The students were able to hear answers to their thoughtful questions from one of the leading experts in ocean exploration.

What encouraged you to explore our oceans?
•What do you think about the current problem of overfishing?
•Where do you see the state of the ocean in 20 years?
•What affect will El Niño have on toxic algal blooms?
•How will the hole in the ozone affect the ocean?
•How do you feel about the local tribe's permission to hunt the gray whale?
•What can we do to protect our oceans?

 

Dr. Earle's answers were inspiring and she continually encouraged the students to think critically about ocean exploration and conservation. She told the crowd that she has been interested in ocean exploration ever since she was a child. "Like most kids, I was curious. Curiosity is not just limited to human beings. I've seen curious whales, cats, dogs and horses... and some keep it all their lives. Scientists are among those who keep that sense of curiosity all their lives".

girl with paper

A student ponders Sylvia's question "are we going to change our ways?"

Dr. Earle expressed that overfishing is one of the major current issues in ocean conservation. "Those in the future will look back on those of us now making decisions about ocean wildlife that will be regarded as one of the critical decisions of our time. Are we going to continue to regard (sea creatures) only as a commodity?". She continued with this theme in answering the question about the state of the ocean in 20 years. "Are we going to allow the same dumb ways to continue or are we going to draw the line and say we have to change our ways?". She stressed that the answer toward the future "does not have to be a big 'no' with more regulations, but a big 'yes' to taking care of the oceans that take care us us". She then continued to say that "the worst thing we can do is nothing. That is a decision in default."

boy in audience

This student wondered how El Nino has had an effect on the ocean.

In response to the questions on weather and climate change, Dr. Earle concentrated on the effects related to planktonic development and the life cycle of the ocean. Regarding El Niño, she said, "it is a matter of those creatures that prosper when it is cold, they have a good time in that kind of area. But, if the water is warm…" Dr. Earle pointed out the effect of El Niño in waters along the coastal area of California. "In an El Niño year, there is a change in the kind of plankton that flourish. The usual citizens are in short supply and then other, new species come in. For the (native) creatures that are already under pressure, a natural phenomenon such as El Niño could push them over the edge to extinction".

boy listens to Sylvia

Sylvia responded to this student's straight question about the ozone layer.

Dr. Earle thought that the question on the ozone layer was "a straight question with not too many straight answers". She noted that there is a pattern that seems to be clear that radiation will have a broad effect on the occurrence of natural systems. She went on to say that the increasing hole in the ozone layer increases radiation, which seems to have an immeasurable effect on the growth of certain microscopic plants. "Imagine the consequences of a decrease in phytoplankton due to an increase in radiation. This increase in radiation will prohibit photosynthesis in some of the critical organisms, or change the life cycle of krill or other planktonic organisms". She noted that this could effect the entire ocean system in both the southern and northern hemispheres. "This is a really good question for someone like you, any of you, to take on…to look at the connection of what's happening high in the sky and what's happening right here".

student poses question to Sylvia

The question about a local tribe's permission to hunt the gray whale generated a lot of interesting dialogue.

The question about the local Makah indian tribe's recent permission to hunt the grey whale generated the most dialogue between the students. Dr. Earle admitted that this is a tough question. "There is no easy answer to a question about the effects of taking a whale, or whales, from a population that has rebounded significantly in the last 20 years because people have taken protective measures". She then asked the students what they thought since this is a "holding your hands" kind of issue on the Olympic Coast that is happening around the world. 

Student A: "I have always been opposed to it. It has been a big controversy here on the Olympic Penninsula. I feel that they are a big part of our marine ecosystem and we need to preserve that"

Sylvia: "Many people think that all people have rights to ocean resources. There will be some impact (from hunting whales), but will the impact affect future generations?"

Student B: "What concerns me is that technology may mean the tribes can hunt more than they did using more traditional hunting practices"

Student C: "We are not using traditional methods because it is too inhumane, and it will be more humane with technology. We are only allowed to hunt four whales a year. The gray whale has been off the ESL (endangered species list) since 1994. Taking four won't make a big difference."

Sylvia wrapped up the dialogue by stating "It is not what we are putting into the ocean, and it is not what we are taking out... It is ignorance". She stressed that this is where the students really have a chance to impact everything that follows. "You must take it upon yourselves to not just react to some of these tough questions, but to act. The truth is that we cannot please everybody all the time."

Sylvia facing students

Sylvia Earle tells the students, "I hope this is just the beginning of the dialogue".

Sylvia ended the summit by asking the students to try to think of what would they like to see in 10, 20, 50, or 100 years from now. Would they like to have their children, grandchildren, friends of friends, look back on them and say, "You idiots, you fools! Why didn't you do (blank)? How could you let this happen?". Or the people in the future could say, "Right on, guys! Thanks. You made the right decisions at the right time. You held the line to enable us to turn things around."

 

On that optimistic note, Sylvia concluded the summit by saying, "I'm glad to have had this chance to talk with you and I hope it is not over. I hope this is just the beginning of the dialogue. You can count on hearing from me, and I really hope to hear from you".

  

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About Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle
National Geographic Society

 Dr. Sylvia Earle

Marine biologist Sylvia Earle is Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, a position she has held since 1998. She is working with a variety of Society divisions on projects involving her passion -oceans - especially serving as project director of Sustainable Seas Expeditions and writing three books for publication in 1999.

Named one of Time Magazine's "heroes for the planet" in 1998, Earle has pioneered research on marine ecosystems and has led more than 50 expeditions totaling 6,000 hours underwater. She holds numerous diving records and is the author of more than 100 scientific and popular publications, including a 1995 book "Sea Change."

Earle was born August 30, 1935, in Gibbstown, NJ. She has a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a master's and doctorate from Duke University as well as nine honorary doctorate degrees. She lives in Oakland, California. 

 


For more information on the Sanctuary Summit at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, please contact:

Bob Steelquist, Education Coordinator
NOAA, Marine Sanctuaries Division
(360) 457-6622
robert.steelquist@noaa.gov

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