Sylvia Earle's Story

How can you take a true measure of the sea without getting under the waves? Marine biologist Sylvia Earle was one of the first in her field to literally immerse herself in her subject, logging nearly 7,000 hours underwater and studying everything from algae to humpback whales. Her extensive work underwater has made her acutely aware of the ocean's potential and of its decline. "I see it in so many places," she says. "For example, in Clearwater, Florida, where I grew up, the water isn't clear anymore." The Nassau groupers she recalls looking up at her when she was a child knee-deep in Florida waters have all but vanished due to overfishing. Pollution in coastal waters and global warming are damaging coral reefs and other important fish habitat. And a new threat, ocean acidification, which stems from the same causes as global warming, could create a dramatic shift in ocean life.

Preserving the Diving Life

Sylvia has been sounding the call for ocean protection worldwide through her books, articles, lectures and continued expeditions into the deep sea. "Seeing the change is hard," she says, "but it also inspires me to protect what's left." The next 10 years are a critical window of opportunity to make sure marine wildlife and unique ocean ecosystems continue to thrive. NRDC recently helped create a network of underwater parks in California, an important first step in restoring marine habitat and bringing back depleted fish. To keep pollution out of the ocean, NRDC pushes for better enforcement of the Clean Water Act and helps coastal communities design plans to control urban storm water runoff. And in addition to pushing for strong legislation to fight global warming, NRDC is helping overhaul the outdated, Byzantine patchwork of laws that govern the ocean to create a strong, visionary policy for ocean protection.

You can help restore the ocean to health. If you eat seafood, make sure it's sustainably caught or sustainably farmed. Help reduce the threat of ocean acidification by saving energy at home and cutting your contribution to carbon dioxide emissions. When you're underwater, remember the golden rule: look but don’t touch. Share your photos of ocean wildlife and help inspire others to protect the wild ocean. We'll pull our favorite images from Flickr onto this site!

Resources for Divers:
State of our Seas: Ocean Acidification Threatens Corals, Shellfish
Feature: Diving in Point Lobos Marine Reserve
Flickr: Underwater Photos
More Ocean Issues and Solutions