Esperanza sails into "world's aquarium"

The Gulf of California region has huge economic benefit for the whole of Mexico, bringing nearly five million tourists and providing half the country’s fish supply. But pressure from destructive fishing, pollution and uncontrolled tourism development are threatening life in the Aquarium.

Marine reserves needed now

Our campaigner in Mexico, Alejandro, explains why such a rich marine environment needs our help.  “The future of the region depends upon the seas staying healthy. Mexico can take the lead internationally by protecting the Gulf of California, not only because it is one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems but because all threats which we have witnessed in the rest of the world converge here,” he said.  “A network of marine reserves in the Gulf of California would benefit fishing, local communities and the country."

Today we presented a report to officials and leading marine scientists in La Paz, outlining a plan to protect the region from the major threats. If we've got anything to do with it, the Gulf of California will become part of a global network of marine reserves covering 40 percent of the world’s oceans.

Defending our Oceans - a year of living the Life Aquatic

On November 18th the Defending Our Ocean expedition celebrates one year campaigning for the establishment of marine reserves. The tour began in Cape Town, South Africa, from where the Esperanza left to defend the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary from the whaling fleets.  Since then we've been to 25 different ports from West Africa to the Philippines, India to Hawaii.  We've seen pirates and plastic, tuna and turtles, cod and concrete as well as two oil spills, an earthquake, an active volcano, a hurricane, a bombing and a toxic dumping. 

Together with you, our Ocean Defenders, we've shaken the corporate foundations of Japanese Fisheries Agency whaling, confronted the financiers of Lafayette Mine, put bottom trawling on the agenda at the UN and sent thousands of messages to the government of Iceland about their commercial whaling, and much much more.

Here's a small snapshot of how far we've come:

Defending Our Oceans ... in numbers

• 9 - number of days lost by Japan Fisheries Agency fleet thanks to us (according to their report submitted to the International Whaling Commission). They were 84 whales under quota.
• 11 - countries that have gone from ”Destroyers” to ”Defenders” on bottom trawling
• 68.5 million - Radio Africa listeners heard us vow to arrest pirates on our West Africa leg - and we did!
• USD $400,000 - unprecedented fine imposed on pirate ship Binar 4, putting it out of business
• 425,000 - number of cyberactions/ecards sent (more every minute)
  
• 700,000 - viewers of Ocean Defenders TV (in English)
• 1,179,243 - number of visits to the Defending Our Oceans website in 2006 alone
• 26 - number of port visits by the Esperanza
  
• 13 - number of languages we are working in

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our Ocean Defenders for all your support.  Stay on board, there's plenty more to come.