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South Florida Divers
Cuba’s Remarkable Reefs: Hopeful Stories from the Ocean Doctor
Dr. David E. Guggenheim, founder and president of Ocean Doctor and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, discusses his new book, “Cuba’s Remarkable Reefs: Hopeful Stories from the Ocean Doctor.” (Prometheus Books).
From the Publisher:
Since 1970, the Caribbean has lost half its coral reefs, an ominous and accelerating phenomenon reflected around the world. Beyond the heartbreak of the loss of such exquisite beauty, losing coral reefs means the annual loss of billions of dollars from the global economy and the end of a way of life for the billions who depend on these ecosystems.
Marine scientist and conservation leader Dr. David E. Guggenheim has had a front-row seat to this disaster. But when he began a new chapter of his career in Cuba, he found something completely unexpected: hope. After years of watching reefs deteriorate, Guggenheim was astonished to come face-to-face with Cuba’s remarkably healthy coral reefs overflowing with marine life. Guggenheim reveals the hidden lessons of Cuba’s reefs that could help rescue coral reefs around the world. Understanding why takes us on a journey through the island’s unique history – and our own.
While the past 60 years have seen the worst decline in ocean health in human history, Cuba’s oceans and coral reefs remain remarkably healthy, a living laboratory little seen by this generation of scientists. Which begs the question—Why are Cuba’s ocean waters so healthy? The answer is deeply entwined with the country’s extraordinary and singularly unique history, from its dramatic political past to its world-class environmental protections influenced by an unlikely partner, Jacques Cousteau.
Guggenheim tells the story of the demise of the world’s ocean ecosystems, the hard work of those trying desperately to save it, and an unexpected beacon of hope from an island full of mystery and surprise.
About South Florida Divers:
Founded in 1974, South Florida Divers is a dive club with a long legacy of diving Florida’s reefs and wrecks. Learn by diving with a skilled group of divers who know the dive boats and have worked with dive operators on the east and west coast of Florida. We participate in local reef clean-ups, reef and fish surveys, wreck sinking, and turtle-nest monitoring. We aim to protect our reefs and help our members become better divers.
Corals: World Oceans Week at The Explorers Club
Ocean Doctor founder and president, Dr. David E. Guggenheim, will speak and moderate a panel on corals and coral conservation at a special breakfast presentation at The Explorers Club on Wednesday, June 7th.
As part of its wider World Oceans Week, The Explorers Club is hosting a week of free breakfast panels. Featuring a new topic each morning, these panels feature leaders on the most pressing ocean issues. Doors open at 8am with coffee and breakfast offerings for guests. Panels start at 9am sharp.
Breakfast panels are free of charge and open to public walk-ins, sign-up not required. But be sure register here on eventbrite to guarantee yourself a seat!
Monday 5th – Art & Communication
- Dimitri Deheyn
- Sylvia Earle
- James Prosek
- Patricia Ricard
Tuesday 6th – Protected Areas
- Chris Fisher
- Carl Safina
- Stephanie Wear
Wednesday 7th – Coral
- David Guggenheim
- Narrissa Spies
- Blue Force Veterans
Thursday 8th – Robotics
- Keith Ellenbogen
- Oliver Steeds
- Tim Taylor
Friday 9th – Plastics & Marine Debris
- Doug Woodring
- Ethan Edson
- Karen Raubenheimer
The Explorers Club is an international multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research and the ideal that it is vital to preserve the instinct to explore. Since its inception in 1904, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. It promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space by supporting research and education in the physical, natural and biological sciences.
The Club’s members have been responsible for an illustrious series of famous firsts: First to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, and first to the surface of the moon. It is headquartered at 46 East 70th Street in New York City.
The Promise and Potential for Collaborative Marine Conservation with Cuba
Special Lunch Session
Following the dramatic December 2014 announcement by President Obama, the U.S. and Cuba are working toward normalized diplomatic relations for the first time in a half century. Prior to the announcement, among the few points of U.S. engagement with Cuba had been in marine research and conservation. With the announcement, the opportunities to expand collaborative marine research, conservation and education are profound and immediate. And the imperative could not be greater. While significant marine resource degradation has been documented throughout the wider Caribbean region, in contrast, Cuba offers an underwater oasis of healthy coral reef ecosystems. Collaborative U.S.-Cuban efforts can ensure protection of healthy reefs, and further may provide important insight on protecting and restoring coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. At the same time, normalized relations will open new channels of commerce and tourism and put new pressures on marine resources. This panel will explore the prospect of normalized diplomatic relations for continued and expanded collaboration and examine new opportunities and threats as we approach a post-embargo world.
Moderator
Cornelia Dean | Science Writer, New York Times and Writer-In-Residence, Brown University
Discussants
The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse | U.S. Senate, Rhode Island and Co-Chair, U.S. Senate Oceans Caucus
Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez | Chief of Mission of the Cuban Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland
Ambassador David A. Balton | Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Robert Muse, J.D. | Attorney, Law Offices of Robert Muse
David E. Guggenheim, Ph.D. | President, Ocean Doctor
Lunch provided for all premier registrants, and limited quantities available for purchase on-site.
This panel will be live-streamed at: OceansLIVE.org
Denver Divers & Colorado Ocean Coalition – Cuba Presentation
Denver Divers and Colorado Ocean Coalition are teaming up for a very special Blue Drinks, featuring everything Cuba!
60 Minutes showed us what to expect diving in Cuba. The 12-minute segment hosted by Anderson Cooper became a siren song for many divers.
Now meet the star of the segment, “Ocean Doctor”, Dr. David Guggenheim!
Dr. Guggenheim has dedicated the last 13 years of his life to conservation efforts for coral reefs and turtles in and around Cuba. During his presentation at Denver Divers, Dr. Guggenheim will talk about research results from his partnership with the University of Havana. Of course he plans to answer all your questions regarding travel to Cuba and diving in the pristine waters surrounding the island.
If you have ever dreamed of diving or traveling to Cuba, but did not want to risk the illegal activity of traveling there without the government’s permission, you do not want to miss this presentation. Denver Divers has partnered with the “Ocean Doctor ” to sponsor a legal Educational Tour of Havana and Jardines de la Reina.
For more information on Dr. Guggenheim and his non-profit, Ocean Doctor, please visit https://oceandoctor.org/gardens
Special Cuban snacks and a Cuban “Blue Drink” will be provided.
Please do not forget to carpool, as parking in front of the shop fills up quickly.
New York Times Travel Show 2014: Outlook for Travel to Cuba
A panel of experts on travel to Cuba, led by tourism officials from Cuba, share their knowledge and passion for Cuba and provide the latest updates on what Cuba offers Americans, information on People-to-People licenses and updates to this alluring forbidden destination. Join John McAuliff, Fund for Reconciliation & Development Cuba, Peggy Goldman, president, Friendly Planet Travel and tourism officials from Cuba including, Ing. Eloy Govea Rodriguez, commercial director, Havanatur Celimar; Lic Hugo Mustell Mon, commercial director, Havanatur Group and Dr. David E. Guggenheim, president, Ocean Doctor.
World Science Festival – Illuminating the Abyss: The Unknown Ocean
As part of this year’s World Science Festival in New York, join the “Ocean Doctor,” 1planet1ocean president Dr. David E. Guggenheim, along with TED prize winner and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Dr. David G. Gallo, and Fabien Cousteau, in a panel moderated by ABC News’ Bill Weir, entitled, Illuminating the Abyss: The Unknown Ocean — Saturday, June 5, 2010, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM at The Paley Center for Media.
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Event: A New Era for U.S.-Cuba Relations on Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation
Event Summary
Cuba sits at the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Its coastal waters are dense with islets, keys and reefs that provide critical habitats and spawning grounds for a rich array of fish, endangered sea turtles, manatees and other marine life. Preserving Cuba’s biodiversity is critically important to the natural resources and economies of coastal communities in the United States and other neighboring countries. Read more
The State of Cuba’s Coral Reefs
Initial results of joint Cuba-U.S. study to be presented at the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) in Ft. Lauderdale, July 7-11, 2008
The world’s major coral reef science meeting, the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), returns to the United States July 7-11, 2008, to be held in Ft. Lauderdale. Dr. Gaspar Gonz?lez Sans?n, Titular Professor at the University of Havana’s Center for Marine Research (Centro de Investigaciones Marinas [CIM]) is scheduled to be the lead presenter of a paper entitled, Present Condition of Coral Reefs and Associated Ecosystems in the Northwest Region of Cuba. Read more