Ins & Outs of SVG 2020

33 that remains almost as wild, pristine and bountiful today as it did thousands of years ago. The fact is, increasing pressure from many different issues such as pollution, habitat destruction, land-based runoff, coastal development, invasive species, overfishing and, of course, climate change, all threaten to upend our fragile ecosystems and the people who depend on them. To address these problems, St. Vincent & the Grenadines was designated a Mission Blue Hope Spot at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in Hawaii by Dr. Sylvia A. Earle and SalvageBlue on September 9, 2016. A Hope Spot is an area in the ocean recognised by scientists for having unique ecological attributes that make it especially deserving of designation as a marine protected area because it has the special ability to regenerate marine life that has already been lost in other parts of the world. Some Hope Spots are already formally protected, while others like SVG still need defined protection. SalvageBlue is a non-profit, marine conservation organisation based on mainland St. Vincent and is currently exploring smarter strategies that will empower coastal communities so they may reclaim their traditional custodianship of the sea and restore a balance we once had. SALVAGE BLUE 33 INS OUT Photo: Adam Gravel Photo: Adam Gravel Photo: kitesurfgrenadines.com To connect with Salvage Blue, visit: salvageblue.org Follow them @salvageblue While about 12% of the land around the world is now under some form of protection (as national parks, etc.), less than 6% of the ocean is protected in any way.