![]() Rechberger works directly with Enric Sala and Pristine Seas to develop economic plans that support marine protected areas and the communities around them. "That tourism money can support the animals, the habitat, and also the local communities that are providing the tourism services." "Tourism in Dominica might be regulated in the same way as for example- the iconic gorillas in Rwanda, where people spend a lot of money coming in to see these epic creatures that live in families and communicate with each other," Kristin Rechberger, the CEO of Dynamic Planet, told 60 Minutes. The famed "gorillas in the mist" had their habitat protected by the government so that a local economy based on tourism could grow in local towns nearby. It's a model that has worked well in protecting the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. And we were very pleased with the suggestion that Enric made to creating a recognized sanctuary for the whales." Captain Curt Benoit listens for whales "And the idea of creating greater protection for the whales is something that Dominica is very open to. "We see whale-watching as an important part of our tourism product, and it's something that needs to be protected," Baron said. Francine Baron heads the agency in charge of that effort. Today, the island is continuing to rebuild, even as it prepares for a future of climate change driven storms. Hurricane Maria devastated those communities in 2017. And the more whales there are, the more benefits Dominica and the local communities will obtain." "If nothing is done, the population will probably continue declining, so reducing those threats hopefully will allow the sperm whale population to rebound. "The sperm whale population has been declining steadily for the last 20 years because of human threats that affect the whales not only here, in Dominica, but all around the world," Sala said. Plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris. Over 14 million tons of plastic waste enter oceans each year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. ![]() He says a preserve in Dominica would protect the whales from their greatest threats: plastic trash, noise pollution and ship strikes. Sala and his team have worked with 17 countries to turn large swaths of the ocean into marine protected areas - roughly twice the size of India. He founded the Pristine Seas Project in 2008, combining sea exploration, scientific research and public policy. Sala turned to the idea of creating marine reserves instead. Inside Cecilia Vega's first 60 Minutes story on sperm whales."I felt like the doctor who's telling you how you're going to die, with excruciating detail, but not offering a cure," Sala said. Sala, a former professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, turned away from his job in academia, feeling he was "writing the obituary of the ocean" when he could have been working to save it instead.
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