SeaSpiracy...what's all the buzz about?

Our Junior Ambassador starts another High School Marine Biology Club

Whales and Their Own Cultures

Ocean Conservation Art Advocacy Activities are still underway & you can participate

Utila is a-go and is (almost) fully committed

SeaSmart in the City Year Afterschool Science Club

There's a lot of buzz about this new documentary on Netflix...

The best part about this documentary is that it has people talking!  Self-described as "Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species - and uncovers alarming global corruption," Seaspiracy covers a lot of ground. Most of the topics covered warrant (and have) entire documentaries made about them.  While some statistics and facts are refuted, the coverage of the importance of the ocean and its inhabitants is quite accurate.  In addition, SeaSpiracy touches on pollution, overfishing and bycatch, plastic in the ocean, Taiji dolphin and whale slaughter damage, endangered bluefin tuna, sharks and finning, seabird populations, slavery on shrimp boats, farmed fish and alleged government corruption among other important ocean conservation topics. We encourage you all to watch it and very much look forward to hearing your perspectives and thoughts on it! 

You can find a series of facts and sources Seaspiracy has posted on their website. 

Nella is joining forces across NYC High Schools! 

Nella, SeaSmart's Junior Ambassador, started a Marine Biology After-School Club last fall, at her NYC-based high school, Notre Dame.  Based on its success, she was asked to collaborate with a science teacher at another NYC High School, Xavier HS, to assist them in forming a Marine Biology Club.  In March they began jointly hosting speakers and specialists, and holding meetings together.  Nella hopes to combine efforts on a research project later in the year.  If you are interested in starting something similar at your school, Nella can share her success and learning through the process-feel free to reach out!

Whales and their "human" cultures

There are two groups of orcas in the Pacific Northwest. Their genetics are nearly identical, and for months at a time, they live right next to each other. But one group speaks in shrill squeals and the other in monkey-like hoots. One group likes to shimmy along the rocks in shallow waters; the other group headbutts each other. One group leaps out of the water to belly flop; the other hardly ever breaches. When it comes to dialects, diets, routines, and traditions—from how they care for their young to how they hunt to how they greet each other—even among the same species of dolphin or whale, there’s huge variation.

To suggest that whales and dolphins have culture was once blasphemous, National Geographic's Craig Welch has written. Scientists have always taken great pains not to attribute human characteristics to animals. But their types of diverse, learned traditions have been documented not just in orcas but in sperm whales, humpbacks, and belugas as well. “We don't need to anthropomorphize whales [because] many species of whales actually are similar to us in many ways,” Welch says.  This growing body of research not only makes us think differently about what it means to be a whale, but it also forces us to reconsider what makes us human.  

Check out the 4 part NatGeo Documentary Series on Disney +.  More information about it can be found in this interview with James Cameron, the Executive Director.

It's not too late to participate in SeaSmART's Ocean Conservation Art Advocacy programs!  

In partnership with Earthday.org, we have embraced this year's worldwide theme of "Restore Our Earth" for our Earth Day kickoff. You can participate in two ways: our Art Advocacy Workshop and/or our Art Contest. Help spread the word-there's great SeaSmart Prize Packs to Win! Click here for more details and registration links:  

We are (almost) fully committed!

We are thrilled to report that SeaSmart's Summer 2021 program in Utila July 17th-24th is almost filled with amazing students (and some parents). We are looking forward to an exciting and educational week, with lots of amazing diving. We have only one room left (a spot for a student/parent combo or 2-3 students).  Follow us on social media to see all of our adventures! 

For those who could not join us this summer, plans are already underway for next summer...in Baja Sur, Mexico! Think shark research, sea lions, and more...plus, of course, diving! For more information, visit us:

SeaSmart Swag: Look Great & Help Fund The Diversity Scholarship 

Sweatshirts, tanks, and long & short sleeved T's are available in a variety of sizes and colors with a portion of the money going toward the 2022 Diversity Scholarship. Every ocean lover will want one!