Latitude at the International Ocean Summit 2022
Latitude said “Present!” at the International Ocean Summit hosted by Beta Diversidad in La Paz on October 10-12th, 2022.
Beta Diversidad is a conservation Non-Governmental Organization focused on protecting ecosystems all across Mexico. There was a variety of stakeholders and partners joining the plea of “Connect to Protect” our ocean ecosystem and wildlife. The well known conservation-focused media organization Sea Legacy was one of the event sponsors, and a myriad of experts in conservation, marine biology, fisheries and both local as international governmental agents were there with the hopes of highlighting and connecting conservation efforts in the region.
Latitude participated in the conference with Fer -our founder- presenting on the importance of value of Tourism for Conservation. A pillar of us here at Latitude Encounters is the importance education and citizen science has as part of marine conservation efforts. This is why we make sure it’s a part of all our trips, whether its a 1-day encounter or multi-day expedition. Here is how it began.
After being part of the tourism industry for over 10 years she felt there was more missing to it, and a need to actually have a positive impact and legacy through her work. Considering Mexico is a place with little funding towards conservation and marine biology research and work -but highly touristic- it simply made sense to connect the two to have a greater impact on our planet.
Having the experience of being a wildlife encounters guide, Fer was able to notice certain behaviours and activities from animals she was curious about. However, when talking with biologists they didn’t have the answer or hadn’t been able to observe it. A lack of data or opportunity for researchers to be in the field limited the knowledge available. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She contacted a variety of biologist and researchers that work around the Baja California peninsula to learn more about their needs and limitations.
Reality is that tour operators are able to spend much more time in the water than marine biologist and researchers. This means there is a lot we can do to have an impact on marine conservation efforts thought a variety of practices such as recollection of data for scientific investigations, involving local communities, ensure respectful encounters and educate clients on wildlife and conservation efforts.
Want to learn more about how we take on this important task? Read more on our Citizen Science approach here.
