Kelly Slater is most notably known for his achievements in the world of surfing, but also has a deep respect for the waves he rides. Kelly’s professionalism, philanthropic work, character and style have also redefined the archetype of a surfer. He is committed to protecting the world’s oceans and its marine inhabitants, using his influence and status to educate the public about important environmental issues. He is actively involved in both local and international projects including a national PSA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) asking for global involvement in protecting our seas.

attendants from challenging Los Angeles and Orange County neighborhoods for a day of surf at the beach, and Surfers Healing which is an organization that seeks to enrich the lives of children with Autism and the lives of their families by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing through free surf camps.

Kelly Slater’s ten world championship titles are hard-won, just as the restoration of our seas has proven to be. Slater brings determination, hard-work, and awareness to SeaKeepers’ mission to protect and restore our oceans. SeaKeepers will be celebrating recent buoy installations in the FL Keys Marine Sanctuary, as well as raising awareness of the rare and endangered Blue Fin Tuna, and educating the yachting community on the organization’s work to protect and restore the oceans we all love. Surfs Up!

Prince Albert II has served as the elected President of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM) since 2001. The Commission supports a network of more than 4,000 marine scientists from nearly500 research institutions, applying scientific tools to better understand, monitor and protect the Mediterranean Sea. Prince Albert served as the 2007 International Patron of the UN’s Year of the Dolphin. In 2009, he was awarded the Roger Revelle Prizeby Scripps Institution of Oceanography for his efforts to protect the environment and to promote scientific research.

Furthering the reigning sovereign’s commitment top preservation of the Mediterranean bluefin, the Monegasque State Services sought to award endangered status to the species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).This was the first time in nearly 20years a nation had called for the inclusion of bluefin under CITES. The status change would have effectively banned international trade in the fish. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Prince Albert publicly condemned the common European Union practice of inflated bluefin quotas and called the UN's International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas “an international disgrace.” After much heated debate and opposition, the Monegasque proposition was ultimately rejected, however under the leadership of Prince Albert II, Monaco became the first bluefin tuna-free state.

Bernard Marcus co-founded The Home Depot, Inc., the world’s largest home improvement retailer. His company revolutionized the home improvement business with its warehouse concept. He served as chairman of the board until his retirement in 2002 and remains director emeritus.

Now a philanthropist and public servant of the highest caliber, Bernie channels his giving through The Marcus Foundation, supporting myriad meaningful causes and organizations. Perhaps the centerpiece of the Bernie Marcus legacy is the Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world. Located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the $290 million dollar attraction is his gift to the people of Georgia and the associates, customers, and shareholders of The Home Depot. The Aquarium enhances the Georgia tourism offerings and provides local residents with a world-class entertainment attraction. With a total of 550,000 square feet and 8 million gallons of water, it houses more than 125,000 animals, including four whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea. The Georgia Aquarium’s 4R Program is designed to positively impact the health and well-being of aquatic life from around the world.

Through his work with the Georgia Aquarium, Marcus has supported marine and freshwater conservation in Georgia and around the world. In 2006, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation honored Bernie Marcus with its Stewardship Award.

“The Georgia Aquarium brings the treasures of our rivers, seas and oceans to the people of Georgia, particularly the children, instilling in them a tradition of stewardship for generations to come,” says Marcus.

Ted Danson's versatility makes him one of the most accomplished actors in film, stage and television today. From his feature film roles in The Onion Field, Body Heat, Three Men and a Baby and Saving Private Ryan to his starring roles in the television series Cheers and Becker and hilarious guest roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ted Danson has captivated worldwide audiences with his equally sensational dramatic and comedic performances.

Ted Danson's versatility makes him one of the most accomplished actors in film, stage and television today. From his feature film roles in The Onion Field, Body Heat, Three Men and a Baby and Saving Private Ryan to his starring roles in the television series Cheers and Becker and hilarious guest roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ted Danson has captivated worldwide audiences with his equally sensational dramatic and comedic performances.

Mr. Danson was honored by Oceana in 2003 when the organization renamed its Ocean Hero Award the Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award. According to Oceana, “In honor of Danson - the ultimate Ocean Hero - the Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award was established to honor recipients who embody his vision as bold and staunch defenders of our oceans.”

In 1939, Walter Cronkite joined the United Press to cover World War II where he went ashore on D-Day, parachuted with the 101st Airborne, flew bombing mission over Germany, covered the Nuremberg trials, and opened the UP's first post-war Moscow bureau.

Cronkite joined CBS in 1950, first at their Washington affiliate and then over the national network. In April 1962, he took over the anchorman's position from Douglas Edwards on the CBS Evening News and retired in 1981. Since then he has hosted PBS documentaries on health, old age and poor children. In 1993 he signed a contract with the Discovery and Learning Channel to do 36 documentaries in three years.

In 1989, President George Bush appointed Adm. James D. Watkins as U.S. Secretary of Energy. In 2001, Adm. Watkins was appointed by President George W. Bush as the chairman of the U.S. Ocean Commission, which in 2005 produced a comprehensive report on the critical decline of the world’s oceans. Admiral Watkins was previously the president of CORE, the Consortium of for Oceanographic Research and Education, an organization of more than 60 U.S. marine research organizations. Admiral Watkins’ naval career culminated in attaining the Navy’s highest uniformed office, Chief of Naval Operations, capping a career that spanned four decades. Prior to his service as Secretary of Energy, Admiral Watkins chaired the Presidential Commission on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS) epidemic.

For more than 25 years, Talbot's whale and dolphin photographs have gained him an international reputation as one of the best in his field. Talbot is also a renowned filmmaker with several impressive credits under his belt that include the wildlife sequences for Warner Bros.'s Free Willy series, and Universal Pictures' Flipper. Most recently, he directed and photographed the IMAX film Ocean Men. Bob is active on a national and international scale raising ocean awareness. He is on the board of governors for Oceana and on the board of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. He also collaborates with Jean-Michel Cousteau on Ocean Futures projects.

William K. Reily served as the seventh Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Pro¬tection Agency from 1989 to 1993. Prior to this, he was President of World Wildlife Fund (1985-1989); President of The Conservation Foundation (1973-1989); Executive Director of the Rockefeller Task Force on Land Use and Urban Growth (1972- 1973); Senior staff member of the President's Council on Environmental Quality (1970-1972), and Associate Director of the Urban Policy Center and the National Urban Coalition (1968-1970); and Chairman of the Natural Resources Council of America (1981 to 1983). William K. Reilly currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Aqua International Partners, an investment group that finances the purification of water and wastewater in developing countries, and invests in projects and companies that serve the water sector.

Mikhail Gorbachev was leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. His attempts at reform helped to end the Cold War, but also ended the political supremacy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and dissolved the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. He currently heads the Gorbachev Foundation (since 1992), Green Cross International (since 1993), and the Civic Forum movement (since April 1996). President Gorbachev’s environmental work through Green Cross International includes numerous initiatives in the area of fresh water protection and distribution, minimizing coastal pollution due to runoff, and has been an outspoken advocate of marine conservation through international cooperation.

His Royal Highness General Khaled bin Sultan is a leading member of the Royal House of Saudi Arabia. He is the eldest son of Prince Sultan, the Kingdom’s Crown Prince. Prince Khaled bin Sultan currently serves as the Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation.

His Royal Highness General Khaled bin Sultan has always had a love of the oceans. His passion to contribute to ocean research and conservation matured with his experiences as an accomplished scuba diver. Saudi Arabia has access to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world along its long border with the Red Sea and Prince Khaled has personally witnessed the rapid deterioration of the world’s coral reefs due to numerous anthropogenic causes (human impacts).

Prince Khaled is also the founder of the Prince Khaled Living Oceans Foundation, which promotes scientific exploration of the world’s oceans. His yacht fleet, which includes the yacht Golden Odyssey, and the support vessel Golden Shadow, are frequently employed in major scientific research expeditions.

Craig and Susan McCaw serve on the board of Team Read, a children's literacy group they created. He put together a nationwide network, forming McCaw Cellular by 1986. In 1994 he sold his communications company to AT&T, allowing Craig to personally take over Teledesic, with the intention of building a global network of 840 low-altitude satellites to provide Internet-like transmission of digital data to the most remote places of the Earth. He is the former owner of the 303 foot Motor yacht Tatoosh. He is a passionate sailor who has participated as a syndicate owner in several America’s Cup campaigns. His marine conservation activities include frequent outspoken advocacy and major financial support for various marine conservation groups, including the famous “Free Willy” campaign, which brought the issue of marine mammal protection to millions of school children around the world.

James Cameron is a three-time Academy Award winning Canadian-born film director noted for his action/science fiction films, which are often extremely successful financially. Thematically, James Cameron's films generally explore the relationship between man and technology. He directed the film Titanic which went on to become the top grossing film of all time, with a worldwide gross of over US$1.8 billion. Cameron is now one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood. A longtime diver, he is a frequent outspoken advocate for marine protection. His filmmaking includes many projects with marine themes, from filming the wreck of the Titanic to searching for the elusive giant squid.

Marine biologist Sylvia Earle, sometimes known as "Her Deepness," has been an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society since 1998. Named Time magazine's first "hero for the planet" in 1998, Earle has pioneered research on marine ecosystems and has led more than 50 expeditions totaling more than 6,000 hours underwater. She holds numerous diving records, including setting the women's depth record for solo diving at a thousand meters (3,300 feet). Earle works on projects involving her passion, most recently as project director of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions. Sustainable Seas was a five-year project of the National Geographic Society and NOAA, which administers the 12 U.S. marine sanctuaries, the underwater equivalents of national parks.

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas’ lifetime achievements include work as a civil rights activist, a crusader for women's rights, a journalist and playwright, and the first Florida woman in the U.S. Naval Reserves. Her greatest legacy, however, is the profound impact she had on the environment. Her book entitled The Everglades: River of Grass, published in 1947, served to bring public attention to the Everglades at a time when people looked upon the Everglades as little more than a swamp. In 1969 she founded the grassroots organization Friends of the Everglades who continue their fight on behalf of the wilderness.

In 1999, Jean-Michel founded the Ocean Futures Society, a nonprofit marine conservation and education organization. Jean-Michel continuously serves as a spokesman and diplomat for the environment. He produces environmentally oriented programs that reach millions of people around the world. His diplomacy on behalf of water and ocean issues includes his success in convincing President George W. Bush to name the Northwest Hawaiian Islands a National Monument after screening his PBS documentary on the subject at The White House in 2006. Jean-Michel has produced over 75 films, received and Emmy, the Peabody Award, the 7 d'Or, and the Cable Ace Award, and is is Executive Producer of "Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Adventures," a six-part television series airing on PBS and internationally. He currently resides in Santa Barbara, California.