Happy December from The Ripple, a monthly newsletter by The Conservationist Collective, designed for you specifically by ocean people. Get ready to dive into the latest blue news from around the world, exclusive internal announcements, and who knows, maybe apply for a job or internship by the end of this year! We canʻt believe we are heading in 2023 with all of you - mahalo for your support every month. If you want to support us, please share this newsletter with a friend who also cares about the ocean. Helping us grow our community would be the best gift you could give us. Letʻs get into it!

Our first launch made possible coral outreach signs - stay tuned for updates on our January newsletter!

To everyone who has already supported - we love seeing your wear what you love. Tag us in any posts at @theconservationistcollective

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A batfish, blind eel, and more deep sea species may have just been discovered by researchers surveying the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Check out more of the hair raising images from the deep >> here

Plant Corals, Save The World

Have you listened to our brand new podcast episode where we sat down with Dr. David Vaughn, the father of coral restoration? He is the founder of Plant a Million Corals, and who is responsible for discovering microfragmentation, a coral planting technique now used all over the world!

COP27: Ocean Takeaways

Egypt recently held the 27th annual Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where leaders gather to make commitments on global climate change solutions. There was serious backlash about COP27 this year, largely because the conferenceʻs leading sponsor was Coca Cola, the number 1 plastic polluter in the world. Is this entire event performative? We sat down with ocean climate solutionist and youth activist, Bodhi Patil on Sustainability & The Sea Podcast to discuss some of the biggest takeaways from the conference relating the ocean. You will not want to miss this one.

What are blue credits?

Bodhi wrote a piece for the UN that highlighted the important role from government's, land holders, and coastal communities to maintain access to blue carbon credits of their natural resources. Blue credits are important financial components to procure support funds for regional conservation and support local involvement. The three biggest takeaway goals from the UNFCCC convention included:

• The large scale protection of Blue Carbon Ecosystems like mangroves, kelp forests, and sea grass.

• Expanding & installing MPA's that protect Blue Carbon credits.

• Aid must come from wealthy nations for adequate infrastructure in low income countries.

Hawai'i Green Fee Storytelling Campaign

If you didnʻt already know, we serve as project managers for Hawai'i Green Fee, an ambitious statewide policy to invest in local conservation using visitor dollars. Passing this policy would empower community organizations, scale conservation and climate work, and provide an opportunity to fund crucial environmental solutions. This fall, we launched storytelling campaign to highlight local conservation groups working to protect valuable environmental resources and ecosystems across Hawai'i. Green fees in Action is produced by our very own Kate Dolbier, with the hope to show you all what localized, collective impact truly looks like.

Is Your Reef Insured?

Hawai'i will be implementing an early warning and rapid response reef protocol in response to the island reef's past struggles with tropical storms, disease, and tourism. The protocol, developed by The Nature Conservancy and piloted in Mexico, will guide the necessary actions in response to accumulated damages to reefs. The goal is to instill cooperation between reef scientists, tour operators, and local communities to conserve the reefs in Hawai'i and around the world.

Plastic Fibers Found in Antarctica

Antarctic has long been thought of as a pristine land, far away from the effects of humans. However, it is obvious now that the effects of fast fashion, single use plastics, and our wasteful lifestyles built on overconsumption have finally encroached on Earth's last frontier.

New, Protections for Global Shark Populations

A landmark decision at the recent Convention on International Trade (CITES) voted to regulate the commercial trade of 54 shark species including some of the most targeted species like tiger, bull, and blue sharks. These regulations now protect more than 90% of global flora and fauna trade giving highly targeted species a chance to recover as an estimated 37% of sharks species currently face extinction. The new regulations were originally submitted by Panama and are backed by more than 40 countries.

Letʻs save sharks.

Our goal is simple: letʻs get you a job in marine conservation.

• Marine Science Instructor, California, USA

• Sanctuary Exploration Center Manager, California, USA

• Multiple Contract Positions - Aboard Nautilus Live

• NMFS - Sea Grant Join Fellowship Program

• Wildlife Response Summer Internship, Alaska, USA

• The Next Swell Marine Conservation Scholarship

• Oceana Policy Intern 

Full Circle Farm on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi is using regenerative agriculture to pave the way towards local sustainability. Full Circle Farm is closing the loop with Oʻahuʻs first commercial compost machine and providing space for educational workshops and events that build community around a connected food system. Full Circle Farmʻs founder Sean Anderson offers opportunities for residents to engage in solutions. If youʻre locally based, consider joining this compost collective or volunteering with their community work days. We did this fall and it was lovely.