June 9th, 2009 · No Comments

From Green Right Now Reports:

An ocean advocate who has been working to protect coral systems in Florida for three decades and developed a reef-friendly anchor and mooring buoys was honored for his work on World Oceans Day.

John Halas, a marine biologist, received Oceana’s first Ocean Heroes Award, which was created to honor people making a difference in helping preserve the oceans. He was selected from among nearly 500 nominees. Oceana experts chose a list of eight finalists and online members voted for the final winners in May.

In the early 1980s, Halas saw the damage done to reefs by anchors and developed a more environmentally friendly anchor and mooring buoy system. He’s since worked to export this anchorage system to 38 countries.

The reef mooring systems allow boats to anchor without dropping a traditional heavy metal anchor to the ocean floor, potentially damaging fragile coral reefs.

“My work is something I have felt strongly about and it is really a great honor to receive this acknowledgement,” said Halas, manager of the Upper Region of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Second and third places in the contest went to New Jersey-based Bob Schoelkopf for his work rescuing and rehabilitating seals, dolphins and sea turtles at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center and to Andy Dehart, a shark expert at the National Aquarium in Washington D.C. who helps educate the public on the role the shark plays in ecosystems.