London, United Kingdom - April 25, 2024 - London, United Kingdom - April 25, 2024 - RSA Insurance have partnered with The International SeaKeepers Society (SeaKeepers) to support their global Citizen Science programme.
SeaKeepers Citizen Science is a pillar of the DISCOVERY Yacht Programme, which looks to the future of our planet. Citizen science provides global research opportunities that don’t require scientists to be on board as they travel. Vessel owners, crew & guests participate in the ongoing research projects, carrying out activities such as instrument deployment, data collection and water sampling.
Some of 2024’s most exciting citizen science projects include The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, a collaborative effort to map the world’s ocean by 2030, and to compile the data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map; the National Oceanographic Centre Ocean Micro plastic project, which looks to find answers to some of the crucial questions relating to microplastics in the ocean and the environment and eDNA in the Mediterranean, which involves collecting environmental DNA shed by critically endangered, elusive Mediterranean white sharks to track their occurrence and movement patterns.
The DISCOVERY Yacht Programme comprises Scientist-Led Expeditions, Citizen Science, Educational Outreach and Community Engagement, fostering collaborations with organisations, academic institutions and government agencies. Participation ranges from concise seabed mapping to extensive expeditions. Through the DISCOVERY Yacht programme, SeaKeepers champions responsible practices through the Green Marine Programme, advocating for an ocean-conscious future, including The Green Guide to Boating, helping to keep boat users up to date on best practices and new technologies available to transition vessels to cleaner energy sources.
Calvin Gray, RSA London Market Marine Director, said “We're really pleased and proud to support the fantastic and worthwhile work The International SeaKeepers Society do, as SeaKeepers 2024 Corporate Citizen Science Programme Partner. With a long heritage in Marine and a growing Superyacht practice, SeaKeepers mission and the DISCOVERY Yacht programme really resonated with us. The Global Citizen Science programme is clearly aligned to our strategy around building resilient communities, none more so than the world’s oceans. Supporting ocean research and mitigating climate change through marine science research is core to our ESG strategy.”
Gill Rodrigues, Director of International Relations said “At SeaKeepers, our mission is clear: to confront the critical challenges of our oceans through collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. We are pleased to announce RSA as our Corporate Citizen Science partner. Their dedication to our DISCOVERY Yacht programme will amplify our global impact and outreach. We take immense pride in partnering with RSA as we continue to deliver impactful conservation, research and education solutions through our global programming."
Through support from international partners such as RSA, SeaKeepers will grow its scientific reach and global impact for the future of our oceans.
About RSA Insurance
RSA Insurance is a multinational insurance group. We are one of the world’s oldest general insurers, providing peace of mind to individuals and protecting small businesses and large organisations from uncertainty. We use our capabilities to anticipate and improve outcomes for customers via our direct channel, our broker relationships or partner organisations. We have established businesses in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe.
In 2021, the former RSA Group Plc came under new ownership and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation.
About The International SeaKeepers Society
The International SeaKeepers Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that facilitates oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. Providing educational resources and hands-on marine science experiences to students is the primary focus for ensuring the wellbeing of our planet. SeaKeepers enables the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and raise awareness about global ocean issues.
Founded in Monaco in 1998, The International SeaKeepers Society has been supporting ocean conservation through direct involvement with the yachting community for twenty-five years. What started as a data collection program aboard select luxury yachts, has evolved to engage thousands of participants annually with at-sea and coastal programming. Today SeaKeepers’ mission is focused on the DISCOVERY Yacht Program which is comprised of Scientist-Led Expeditions, Citizen Science, Educational Outreach, and Community Engagement.
SeaKeepers is a catalyst working with governments, scientists, institutions, and other marine organizations to further its mission and support sensible, achievable marine protection and restoration. Activities take place globally through the efforts of headquarters based in the United States with offices located on the east and west coast, and international representation in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the South Pacific.
The International SeaKeepers Society: www.seakeepers.org