Blue Innovation is proud to welcome One People One Reef as an exhibitor on September 11.

One People One Reef is a collaboration between indigenous coastal communities and western teams focused on developing an inclusive and sustainable approach and solutions for marine stewardship in the Micronesian Outer Islands. These low-lying coral islands and atolls neighboring the main islands as well as the indigenous communities are increasingly becoming more and more negatively impacted by ecological and cultural change. 

Through a combination of traditional knowledge and approaches with western science to identify challenges, One People One Reef aims to address and protect the ecosystem, resources, habitats, people, and culture. 

One People One Reef has several programs focused on coral reef conservation, fisheries, marine debris, ROVs, drones, marine stewardship, as well as education and outreach. One People One Reef is led by co-directors John Rumal Jr. and Nicole Crane.

John Rumal Jr. is a community organizer from Falalop Island in the Ulithi Atoll of the Federated States of Micronesia who facilitates conversations between community members, chiefs, and leaders. Nicole is a senior conversation scientist who studied at UC Santa Cruz and she is also a professor in the Department of Biology at Cabrillo College.

The One People One Reef’s team consists of 23 members as well as 14 additional collaborators all bringing different knowledge and background to the organization. Visit their website to learn more about their team and mission: https://onepeopleonereef.org/