By
Rebecca Gibson |
Holland America Line (HAL) and Seabourn have renewed their partnership with Marine Conservation Institute (MCI) until 2016.
The original partnership began in 2010 with the ‘Our Marvellous Oceans’ programme, which educates guests and staff about the marine environment and reinforces the lines’ commitments to include sustainable seafood sources on ship menus. Both HAL and Seabourn ensure that their seafood menu selections are responsibly sourced and promote the viability of fish species essential to a biologically diverse marine environment.
“We share a strong interest in healthy oceans, and this partnership has provided an innovative opportunity to advance the conservation message and has had real-world impact toward furthering our mission through projects such as sustainable seafood purchasing,” said Lance Morgan, president of MCI.
MCI board members, executives and staff will offer lectures and question-and-answer sessions on select itineraries as part of the line’s onboard enrichment programmes. A video series is also broadcast on all HAL ships and websites, introducing ocean issues and highlighting important marine conservation topics relating to the ships’ itineraries.
A new ‘Saving the Ocean’s Gems’ scheme will promote marine protected areas, which are parts of the ocean set aside to protect endangered species, habitats and cultural heritage sites, which feature on ship itineraries. HAL and Seabourn will work with MCI to provide enrichment opportunities for guests to learn more about the areas.
Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line and chairman of Seabourn, said: “It is important that we continue to provide information to our guests and crew members about what we can all do to protect and improve the health of our oceans, and we’re fortunate to have the international experts at the MCI working with us as part of our many environmental endeavours.”