In the past, we have promoted marine sports in Miyako Bay and held a variety of on-hands workshops, taking as our themes "Learning from the Ocean, E"Becoming Familiar with the Ocean, Eand "Utilizing the Ocean. EAs we try to bring a sense of normalcy back to our daily lives after the earthquake and tsunami, it is more important than ever that we make use of the ocean's bounty in our regional development plans and the reconstruction of our town. It is with a firm belief in this that we are resuming our ocean activities.

Research on the dugong populations of Thailand and the Philippines has also made clear the close relationship between forests and the ocean. One of the reasons for the decrease in the number of dugongs is the clearing of forest lands and agricultural development that is taking place in Southeast Asia. The establishment of dugong sanctuaries alone will not likely succeed in securing their protection.

I have loved the ocean since I was a child. My travels have taken me to coral reefs in tropical seas as well as the Arctic ocean. In both cases the wonders of the ecosystems have been unforgettable. With rising ocean temperatures however, coral reefs are being bleached white and the ice in the Arctic is melting. Also, a variety of waste products are being carried around the globe by the ocean. It is easy to feel now that we all belong to one world.