MantaWatch scientist Andrew Harvey
MantaWatch was recently invited to talk about sustainability at the 3rd Asia Superyacht Conference in Singapore.
The theme of the conference was “transforming Asia into a sustainable superyacht building, refit and cruising destination”. MantaWatch scientist Andrew Harvey addressed over 150 delegates from 35 countries, focussing on sustainability and the opportunities for the industry to leave a positive impact in its wake.
The superyacht industry boasts a relatively low environmental impact. Yacht construction is low volume, and often built to order. At the same time, superyacht owners and passengers are often drawn to unspoiled wildernesses, which they are committed to protecting. Superyachts themselves are one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel the globe. No combustion of fossil fuels here, superyachts rely on nature’s power to sail the world’s oceans.
The superyacht industry is uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the environments and the communities it encounters. In Indonesia, visiting superyachts have already helped transfer educational materials to remote villages, supporting some of MantaWatch’s community development programs with our partners.
At the same time, superyachts travel to some of the world’s most remote and untouched places, far from the normal path of tourists or divers. Many yachts have diving equipment on board, almost all have a camera and a laptop. By doing nothing more than they are already doing–diving or snorkeling with marine life and taking photos–yacht captains, crew and passengers ca play a vital role in extending the range and coverage of manta ray monitoring and conservation.
Over 150 delegates attended the conference.
MantaWatch has developed a free offline application, specially designed for use on superyachts and liveaboards, to enable manta watchers to identify and track mantas from the remotest corners of the globe. For more information on the MantaWatch application, contact our scientists today.
The 3rd Asia Superyacht Conference was held at Oneº15 Club in the Sentosa Cove Marina, Singapore from 7-8 April, 2011. To find out more about the conference or the superyacht industry in Asia, visit http://www.iirme.com/asc/conference-overview.
