Craig M. Taylor

Craig M. Taylor, Oceanwize LLC

"Almost every aspect of life in the oceans has long fascinated me. I have participated in and supported efforts to improve science based education specific to marine conservation in the New York City school system, participated in marine science research with the American Museum of Natural History and most recently working with a team of global based scientists developing methodologies to bring scientific data to design of Marine Protected Areas.

"Prior to college I worked in the number of summer capacities starting with a position at a field station of the American Museum of Natural History located on Bimini Island studying feeding behavior of tropical fish. I spent a summer on the RV Westward (based out of Woods Hole Massachusetts) taking census of marine mammal life around the coast of Newfoundland. Another summer I worked in the Vancouver Public Aquarium in Vancouver BC maintaining aquarium exhibits and catching/transporting specimens for display (two weeks of the summer was spent living with Eskimos 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle studying the logistics of capturing/transportation narwhals for aquarium display).

"In 1994, I became a Trustee of The Wildlife Conservation Society (based in New York City)... I have been Chairman of the Aquarium Marketing and Support Committee overseeing the New York Aquarium, Chairman Ecotourism Subcommittee member of the Marketing and Communications Committee, and a member of the International Conservation Steering Committee overseeing WCS's global research projects...

"I'm also involved in a national education initiative called The Ocean Project whose mission is to "create in people a lasting, measurable, top of the line awareness of the importance, value, and sensitivity of the oceans". The overarching policy of The Ocean Project is "to select positive messages chosen to interest, inspire wonder, increase our understanding of the oceans, and create in people a personal rationale that makes Ocean conservation sensible and compelling". The plan to accomplish this challenging mission will be to work through and with partner institutions including aquariums, zoos, and science, technology, and natural history museum's to help the visitors develop an interest and caring attitude that will encourage them to take action for Ocean conservation through existing channels of these partner organizations. The Wildlife Conservation Society is a member institution."

• Director Marine Conservation Research Institute