Fellows mentioned in this story: Maxine Burkett

From the U.S. Department of State:

Today, communities around the world are celebrating World Ocean Day.  The ocean is the beating heart of our planet.  We are all connected to it, and it in turn connects us all.  Its abundance feeds us.  Its currents drive the climate and weather patterns that make our planet home.  It captivates our imaginations and inspires our music, art, and literature.  It is an integral part of rich cultures and spiritual beliefs of communities all over the world.  The shipping patterns and cables that crisscross its basins build bridges between people thousands of miles apart.  The ocean, truly, is what makes us one global community.  

Covering more than 70 percent of our planet’s surface, the ocean is vast and complex, and so are the challenges it faces.  Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens marine biodiversity and the billions of people that rely on the long-term sustainability of marine resources for food or income.  Climate change is impacting ocean currents and chemistry, stressing marine species that are finely adapted to their habitats and impacting the ocean’s ability to act as a climate buffer for our entire planet.   

Continue reading at state.gov.