Pristine Seas: Journeys to the Ocean's Last Wild Places

Description

From the shark-rich waters surrounding Coco Island, Costa Rica, to the iceberg-studded sea off Franz Josef Land, Russia, this incredible photographic collection showcases the thriving marine ecosystems that Sala is working to protect. Offering a rare glimpse into the world s underwater Edens, more than 200 images take you to the frontier of the Pristine Seas expeditions, where Sala s teams explore the breathtaking wildlife and habitats from the depths to the surface thriving ecosystems with healthy corals and a kaleidoscopic variety of colorful fish and stunning creatures that have been protected from human interference. With this dazzling array of photographs that capture the beauty of the water and the incredible wildlife within it, this book shows us the brilliance of the sea in its natural state. It is a beautiful reminder of what we have to gain by protecting our seas.

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence ENRIC SALA combines science, exploration, and media to advocate the restoration of marine life. Witnessing the adverse impacts pollution, overfishing, climate change, and industrialization were having on marine ecosystems, he dedicated his career to finding ways to restore health and productivity to the ocean. Sala s expeditions reach the most remote, uninhabited, and untouched sites in the ocean, to carry out the first comprehensive scientific surveys of what pristine, healthy reefs look like. This work was key in inspiring the creation of large marine protected areas in the U.S., Chile, and Costa Rica and acts as the model in his race to save the remaining unprotected parts of the sea and develop new preventative business models for conservation. Sala obtained his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Aix-Marseille, France, in 1996. His more than 100 scientific publications, dozens of popular articles, and five documentary films are widely recognized and used for real-world conservation efforts. A former professor of marine ecology at the distinguished Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Sala holds many prestigious honors including 20

"Growing up by the sea, I developed a real love and understanding of our ocean. As I have travelled from Pole-to-Pole working to protect this precious asset, I have for a long time supported the work of Dr Enric Sala to protect the last wild places in the ocean. Enric became a friend and I gladly agreed to serve on the board of Pristine Seas. With this book, Enric makes us travel to these extraordinary places, revealing what the future of the ocean could be, if we take the right decisions for its recovery."--H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco "Sala's passion is enduring, the work ahead... immense."--Minnesota Public Radio "National Geographic explorer Enric Sala founded a project to find, explore, and protect the few remaining wild places in our oceans. Partnering with Leonardo DiCaprio, he's already inspired world leaders to create ocean sanctuaries. His new book, Pristine Seas, highlights ten aquatic Edens."--The Guardian "National Geographic explorer in residence Enric Sala, author of the new book Pristine Seas: Journeys to the Ocean's Last Wild Places, calls these regions 'fish banks, ' in which fishing operators can draw down the interest without depleting the capital."--The Washington Post "The book is an expedition memoir that presents a glimpse into the past as well as offering inspiration and hope for the future . . . Sala's photography is stunning, almost unbelievable in capturing the beauty of mostly unexplored locations with unusual and exotic wildlife."--Apogee Photo Magazine "Sala's gorgeous large-format book, radiant with National Geographic photography, documents crystal-clear waters, huge schools of sharks, lagoons dotted with jellyfish, and the rich pastels of unspoiled coral reefs." --Natural History