Seacology

“THE ORGANIZATION HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING POLICY:1) The draft of the Internal Revenue Service Form 990 be distributed toall members of the Seacology Board of Directors as a PDF file via email within 5 days of the deadline for submitting the Form 990 to taxing authorities (original or extended deadline); and 2) That the draft of the Internal Revenue Service Form 990 will be reviewed and approved by the Chairman of the Board, the Executive Director, and the Accounting Manager, each acting on behalf of the Board of Directors, prior to submitting the Form 990 to taxing authorities.”

“The following policy has been adopted by the organization: no member of the board of directors shall participate in any discussion or vote on any matter in which he or she or a member of his or her immediate family has potential conflict of interest due to having material economic involvement regarding the matter being discussed. When such a matter presents itself, the director must announce his or her potential conflict, disqualify himself or herself, and be excused from the meeting until discussion is over on the matter involved. The president of the meeting is expected to make an inquiry if such conflict appears to exist and the board member has not made it known.each member of the board of directors, employees and independent contracts (who receive more than $25,000 per year from seacology) shall annually sign a statement which affirms that such person:a. Has received a copy of the conflict of interest policy,b. Has read and understands the policy,c. Has agreed to comply with the policy,d. Disclose the existence of any potential conflicts of interest, ande. Understands seacology is a charitable organization and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.”

“The organization has established a compensation committee to review the compensation of key employees earning in excess of $100,000 per year. One compensation committee meeting is held per year.”

“Financial Reports: Seacology prepares an Annual Report and distributes it to the public via email, mail, and by posting it on Seacologys website. The Annual Report contains an unaudited ending-year statement of financial activites with a note that recommends the public contact the Seacology office mid-year to obtain a copy of audited financial statements. Seacology also distributes the Internal Revenue Services form 990 to the public by posting a copy to the Seacology website.Governing documents, and conflict of interest policy: Seacology distributes policies approved by the board of directors, including the conflict of interest policy, to staff in an employee manual and/or accounting manual, to the board of directors in a board handbook, and stores these policies along with governing documents in a readily accessable area of the main office for staff to provide to the public upon request.”

“Seacology's 2020 projects funded a variety of community benefits in return for various protections, including: 1. Reseeding of 13 acres of seagrass in united states, westcott bay in the puget sound.2. Protection of four kilometers of coastline and 50 acres of forest for 10 years in india on south andaman island near wandoor village in exchange for resource and ecotourism training center.3. Protection of 7,660 acres of mangrove forest for 20 years in indonesia on borneo near sungai nibung village in exchange for facility to raise baby crabs for release into forest; drone and walkie-talkies.4. Protection of 969 acres of mangroves for 15 years in philippines on busuanga island near bogtong village in exchange for 200-meter mangrove forest boardwalk and interpretive signs.5. Seagrass protection in spain via mobile app that lets boats avoid anchoring on seagrass.6. Protection of 494-acre island and two islets for 10 years in thailand on tang len island near ban koh kiem village in exchange for conservation and education center.7. National mangrove initiative in dominican republic to protect the countrys critical mangrove forests through nationwide mangrove awareness/pride campaign to educate both children and adults about the importance of mangroves.8. Provide artificial nesting stalks to save the native green carpenter bee from extinction in australia on kangaroo island.9. Protection of 874-acre island for 10 years in australia on big dog island in exchange for solar power to replace diesel generators.10. Community support for marae moana, the world's largest marine park in cook islands.11. Restoration, patrolling, and enforcement of a 13-acre marine ecosystem including cultivation and planting of mangroves, and protection of seagrass beds and coral reef restoration areas for a minimum of 15 years in dominican republic in exchange for formalization of a fisherman's ecotourism co-op including guide and business training; rescue and first aid training; ecotourism infrastructure; promotional materials and e-marketing platforms; office equipment and uniforms.12. Enforcement of a 66-acre protected area consisting of lagoon, mixed vegetation, and mangrove habitat for a minimum of 15 years in dominican republic in exchange for mangrove nursery and replantation, bird feeders and nesting structures, implementation of a beekeeping program, and infrastructure and equipment for ecotourism.13. Restoration of five acres of mangroves and one acre of watershed in honduras on guanaja island in exchange for repair of 1,500-foot mangrove walkway, new welcome center at airport.14. Conservation of 950 acres of community forest watershed for 15 years in malaysia on borneo near rungus hahaba village in exchange for trails and shelters for ecotourism; documentation of traditional knowledge.15. New 939-acre no-fishing area for five years (then subject to renewal) in mexico on cayo alcatraz island in exchange for lobster shelters to promote sustainable fishery; and composting toilets.16. Permanent protection of 400 acres of seagrass in palau on negerkeklau island in exchange for shelter and composting toilet for park rangers; and floating dock.17. Protection of 277-acre marine area and 47 acres of mangroves for 20 years in philippines on alabat island in exchange for community center, boardwalk for ecotourism and environmental education.18. Protection of 40 acres of marine area for 25 years in samoa on savai'i island near setafao saipipi village in exchange for expanded conservation building, freshwater pool repair, and perimeter markers for protected area.19. Replanting of seagrass areas damaged by mooring chains; new eco-moorings in wales near porthdinllaen village.20. Protection of last individuals of the critically endangered bonaire palm in caribbean netherlands on bonaire island.additionally, seacology supported several improvements to previously funded community benefits in return for renewed or extended protections and continued to support active p”

“Omar has brought communities, governments, and fishermen together to protect kenyas great marine biodiversity.east africas coast and islands are home to thriving coral reefs, dense mangrove forests, and seagrass bedsall of which have been strained by rapid population growth, overfishing, and poor regulation. Kenyan communities are responsible for conserving their local marine resources, but historically, few of them took action.in recent years, however, communities have stepped up, thanks in large part to the efforts of people like mr. Juma. He brokered lasting conservation partnerships between kenyas government, ngos, and the communities of wasini island.a lifelong resident of the island, mr. Omar, as hes known locally, was an early proponent of a community marine reserve there. As a leader of the wasini beach management unit (bmu), the community organization that manages local marine resources, he worked for years with island residents, government entities, and local environmental leaders, including 2014 seacology prize recipient ali shaibu shekue, to establish a 2700-acre marine protected area. The reserve stabilized local fish populations and has become a model for locally managed conservation.the area is also increasingly popular with divers, snorkelers, and other tourists from kenya and beyond. Resource-based tourism now provides well-paying jobs for more than 100 residents, many of them youths with few other employment opportunities. Usage fees bring in much-needed revenue, and the wasini bmu has become the only community-run fishing organization in the area to generate enough revenue to run its day-to-day operations.local communities hold the key to sustainable management and conservation of natural resources, said dishon murage, who has served as seacologys field representative in kenya since 2008 and worked closely with juma. Working with local heroes like mr. Omar abdallah teaches us how local practices can enhance management and conservation.jumas work was not easy. Earlier in his career, some members of the fishing community vocally opposed his efforts to create the wasini reserve, fearing that new restrictions would put their livelihood at risk. At one point he was even threatened with eviction from his home village over his advocacy for conservation. His commitment to transparency and accountability led to conflicts with corrupt individuals.but by clearly communicating the long-term benefits of conservation to stakeholders on wasini, he forged a lasting coalition to restore and protect the islands environment. Wasinis achievements have been featured in national and international media, and received numerous awards. In 2012, juma was invited to attend the world conservation congress in south korea as an authority on locally managed marine areas.in 2014, under jumas direction, the reserve launched east africas first coral-restoration initiative. The program is now being widely replicated along the countrys coast. Building on the success of the wasini marine reserve, juma has played a crucial role in the establishment of seven other reserves in southern kenya.juma has been a frequent partner in seacologys work on wasini island. To help address water shortages, seacology, working with the wasini womens group, funded rainwater cisterns that collect and store thousands of gallons of rainwater. They are crucial to the community in dry seasons, especially as climate change makes droughts more frequent. With the bmu, seacology funded traditional fish traps that let immature fish escape. We have also funded investments in ecotourism, including repairs to a boardwalk through the islands expansive mangrove forest.i feel very proud and happy, juma said. I believe the award will showcase my ability to work with the communities. It will empower and encourage me to put more effort into doing conservation activities on wasini island. Seacology has shown how it cares about the welfare of others, and i just want to express my grat”