Ocean Exchange honors Guy Harvey Award winners | Boating Industry
Ocean Exchange, a leader in supporting the acceleration of innovative solutions for healthy oceans and the sustainable blue economy, has announced the recipients of the 2023 Guy Harvey Foundation Collegiate Award, the Guy Harvey Foundation Conservation and Nexus Art Award and the Guy Harvey Foundation Ocean Exchange Scholar Award.
2023 Guy Harvey Foundation Collegiate Award
This year’s Guy Harvey Foundation Collegiate Award of $10,000 was presented to OnDeck Fisheries AI, a start-up in Vancouver, British Columbia that is revolutionizing fisheries monitoring and making it possible to sustainably manage fisheries for generations to come. Lucy Gordon accepted the award on behalf of OnDeck Fisheries AI.
The Collegiate Award is given to the solution that advances an understanding of the ocean and helps to minimize impact on these resources. Ultimately this will result in more resilient bodies of water including healthy marine life and coastlines.
“OnDeck Fisheries AI’s groundbreaking artificial intelligence software exemplifies a commitment to sustainable fisheries monitoring, aligning seamlessly with our mission to protect and preserve marine life,” said Guy Harvey Foundation CEO Jessica Harvey. “This award celebrates not just a remarkable achievement, but a visionary leap toward a future where technology and conservation harmoniously coalesce. We congratulate OnDeck Fisheries AI on their achievement and for igniting this wave of enthusiasm and hope for the sustainable future of our marine ecosystems.”
The Guy Harvey Foundation Conservation and Nexus Art Award
The Guy Harvey Foundation, in partnership with Florida Atlantic University High School in Boca Raton, Florida, presented FAU High School senior Ava Detassis of Boynton Beach with the 2023 Guy Harvey Foundation and Ocean Exchange Conservation Award of $1,000 and Nexus Art Award of $500 for her proposal “Sarcasm for Sargassum: A Fashion Brand Sustained by Sargassum.” Detassis’ concept is to create a fashion line that utilizes the excess amount of sargassum found on beaches as an environmentally friendly solution to the unsustainable production methods the fashion industry currently employs. She incorporates sargassum into the thread, dye and packaging materials of her design.
The Guy Harvey Foundation and Ocean Exchange Scholar Award
The recipient of the 2023 Guy Harvey Foundation and Ocean Exchange Scholar Award of $500 was FAU High School sophomore Kezia Abraham of Boynton Beach for her proposal “Use of Sargassum as a Formidable Agricultural Biofertilizer and Ruminant Feed.” Abraham’s theory explains that Sargassum-based fertilizers may help reduce the amount of farmland needed for livestock and usage of nitrogen rich fertilizer. It enriches the soil, allowing crops to grow organically, and the feed acts as a diet supplement, making these uses of Sargassum cost-effective products that can counteract global warming. Sargassum is also easier to digest than current diets for livestock and provides all necessary nutrients.
“It is so important for us to inspire, educate and engage the next generation of marine conservationists and that’s what we aspire to do with the GHF Conservation, Scholar and Nexus Art Awards,” Harvey said. “I love that Ava combined sustainability and fashion in her proposal, since our brand is committed to making products that contribute to ocean conservation and marine education and, like her, we are focused on making responsible apparel that consumers can feel good about wearing. The Guy Harvey brand continuously implements innovative, sustainable manufacturing practices, using REPREVE polyester and new THREADCYCLED™ technology (repurposing 100% of textile waste into upcycled yarn), and we power our manufacturing facility with solar panels and purify 100% of the water used in the dying and steaming process. Kezia’s proposal aligns perfectly with our mission of finding solutions to conservation through scientific research. Both students are so dedicated to conservation and sustainability. We can all be excited by the direction these budding scientists are taking.”
Source: https://boatingindustry.com/top-news/2024/01/04/ocean-exchange-honors-guy-harvey-award-winners/
