Message from the Chairman
SEAKEEPERS IS POISED TO ACHIEVE ITS FULL POTENTIAL
I take the helm as your new chairman full of energy and enthusiasm
not only for what we have achieved in the brief eight years
of The International SeaKeepers Society's existence, but extraordinarily
excited about what we can achieve in the coming months and years.
I've led off my first column with the presentation of our
new mission statement, which reflects six months of hard work
and collaboration with my fellow board members and Society
executives, including a very productive two-day retreat in
January at the ranch of incoming Vice Chairman Fred
Balm.
I think the new mission statement succinctly expresses the
expanded vision of our organization and demonstrates how SeaKeepers,
as any effective and successful organization, continually
renews and refines itself to maintain forward momentum. Several
important announcements are included in this newsletter, not
the least of which are the opening of our maintenance and
calibration laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, and the recent
decision by the board of directors to license
our proprietary technology on a fee-free basis. Anyone who wishes can now
adapt the standard architecture for our robust, flexible and
cost-effective technology, which was developed, tested and
deployed thanks to your kind donations.
This is a key moment for our organization, because it signals
our move away from being a manufacturer and seller of ocean-monitoring
technology to a broader-focused charity whose mission will
continue to include promoting the widespread use and continued
deployment of the technology we have spearheaded. In part,
this shift is due to input from our new scientific partners
at Scripps Oceanographic Institute, who believe our technology
has potential far beyond the original shipboard use for which
it was developed, particularly in filling the desperate need
for more accurate and diverse data from fixed inshore platforms
such as piers and buoys.
We are excited to be viewed as a leader in this vitally important
marine data endeavor. The new mission statement also includes
several other elements I want to bring to your attention.
First is our view of ourselves as a truly international organization.
We currently enjoy membership by Founders from 14 different
countries and five continents providing global leadership
in the field of marine conservation. In the coming months
you will hear exciting news about a new “Ambassador
Program” we are in the process of developing to grow
our international effectiveness and broaden our membership
around the world. Part of our new mission also is expanding
into the area of education and influence. Two of our strongest
assets are our wonderful name - just say “I'm a SeaKeeper”
to anyone and they know you are passionate about protecting
the sea! - and our extraordinary membership, which includes
some of the most distinguished citizens of the world. I believe
we have a responsibility to use our name to promote “SeaKeeping”
everywhere, and to use our social and political influence
around the world to promote education and action to reverse
the precipitous decline in our seas, which threatens the health,
welfare and quality of life for everyone on our ocean planet.
I'm particularly pleased at our 2005 initiative, “11
Critical Ocean Issues,” a primer-style publication
that will become an annual effort to focus, in plain language,
on the most pressing needs to restore the sea to vitality,
including what everyone can do to help in this important
work. We are also in the process of canvassing our Founders
to see whether they will join a non-partisan effort by
many of us to bring key ocean issues to the attention
of our political leaders. Finally, we are in the midst
of renewing our communication materials and developing
new pieces, including a DVD, describing our new mission
and programs. These are in development expressly to help
our members communicate the exciting things happening
at SeaKeepers to aid their recruitment of new members.
If SeaKeepers is to fulfill its potential to be a dynamic
and positive force for improving the health of the seas,
we need every Founder's help. Underlying my personal mission
as Chairman of our Society, I want every one of our 80+
Founders to be able to say to their friends and colleagues, “I'm
proud to be a SeaKeeper. Please join us!” 
More from the Chairman. . .
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