Message from Don Tomlin, Chairman Emeritus
10 YEARS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 When I was elected chairman of the International SeaKeepers Society, I accepted because of the organization’s technology and its record of success in inventing and deploying the first cost-effective, high volume, moving ocean monitoring system. We are working towards our goal of ocean preservation with the help of our members from 14 countries. We recorded over 9 million ocean samples last year and conducted more than 10 measurements important to science on each of these samples. With 50+ systems installed and an unprecedented 22 in progress, we are creating the data that will help scientists better analyze the current health of our seas and define a solution for the future.
It is with immense pride that I look back on the accomplishments of SeaKeepers. Consider that today, alone, we took an average of 28,000 ocean samples. I expect that we will build on these in the future as we make great strides towards protecting and restoring our precious marine environment.
First and foremost, the International SeaKeepers Society has conceived, funded, developed and deployed the world’s first standardized, “plug and play,” high volume, moving and networked ocean monitoring system. The flexibility of the SeaKeeper 1000™ system has significantly advanced the field of ocean monitoring.
 In 2002, our precise, cost-effective monitoring system was honored with the prestigious Intel Environment Award by The Tech Museum of Innovation for making “real time data available to research institutions, government agencies and scientists throughout the world.” Since its introduction, we have installed the monitoring system on yachts, cruise ships, icebreakers, commercial vessels, at lighthouses, and on ferries.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has even selected the SeaKeeper 1000™ for its own use following extensive internal testing and evaluation. NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center uses the SeaKeeper 1000™ on buoys to add surface oceanographic data to their traditional meteorological data - extending the scope of data collection to water quality and precise water temperature for essential climatological information for scientific analysis.
SeaKeepers has developed and deployed this remarkable mobile ocean monitoring system at a fraction of the cost of other systems. The low installation and operating cost of the SeaKeeper 1000™ allows SeaKeepers to continue to deploy this technology in more locations and on more vessels.
Ensuring scientifically accurate measurements requires high-precision calibration of our instruments. We have installed a world-class calibration laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This exacting precision is vital to the long-term mission of SeaKeepers. Immediate meteorological prediction requires measurement precision of a single degree in temperature. However, long-range climatological projections require much more precise measurements, which is why many SeaKeepers’ instruments are calibrated to three decimal places.
We have enlisted support for our mission at the highest levels of government and academia. Supporters include Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, the Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA’s top administrator. He is among many leaders of the marine science community who realize the importance of our data collection and the logic behind cost-effective, high volume, mobile monitoring.
In order to expand support for SeaKeepers mission, we have initiated a number of successful programs building on the strengths of people who love the oceans from all corners of the globe. The SeaKeepers’ Yacht Partnership program was created to work with leading yacht industry members and a second initiative, SeaKeepers Professionals, builds on the efforts and involvement of ship captains and crew, who have a unique perspective and relationship with their ocean workplace. We are constantly moving forward with real climatological research assisting the scientific community in its search for real solutions to the multiple threats facing our seas.
I am delighted to report on the work of our remarkable organization and look with excitement to working closely with you to secure the health of our planet’s oceans.
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