#Community
Article·8 min read

Wawata Topu: The women divers sustainably managing coastal resources

Cristina Mittermeier

On the island of Atauro, located in the young Southeast Asian country of Timor-Leste, a group of resourceful and skilled women fishers have broken away from traditional gender roles to provide for their families.

Image © Cristina Mittermeier

Cristina Mittermeier
Aug 10, 2020

Image © Cristina Mittermeier

The waters surrounding the island of Atauro in Timor-Leste have been described by researchers as the most biodiverse in the world · Cristina Mittermeier
Women account for up to half of the global fisheries workforce, typically working in small-scale coastal operations · Cristina Mittermeier
The women divers of Atauro have a mindset anchored in the desire to gather enough nourishment for their families without destroying the reef. This is the reason they have adopted a form of cultural protection called
The women divers of Atauro paddle out to the reef in a hollowed-out canoe · Cristina Mittermeier
Faced with the huge global challenges brought about by climate change, it is imperative that we find ways to maintain the viability of limited resources — not only now, but generations into the future — and especially for the most disproportionately affected communities.
The most skilled divers from Atauro are able to swim 20 feet down into the sea · Cristina Mittermeier
“What makes Atauro unique is that the women … have organized themselves as a unit, teaching each other to freedive and engaging in collective resource management.” · Cristina Mittermeier
Some of the women divers choose to fish with spears made of clothes hangers and rubber bands · Cristina Mittermeier
The women of Atauro are passing down their diving and fishing skills to the next generations · Cristina Mittermeier
Contributors

Cristina Mittermeier

Co-founder, SeaLegacy & Only One

Born in Mexico, Cristina Mittermeier is a marine biologist, photographer, and writer known for her use of powerful and emotive imagery to propel conservation efforts. For the past 25 years, her work has centered on the delicate balance between human well-being and healthy ecosystems. Cristina is the co-founder of SeaLegacy, a nonprofit invested in the health and sustainability of the ocean, and of Only One.

Long reads

Sylvia Earle / The Diver

When Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke with marine biologist and ocean explorer Sylvia Earle, they covered conservation, discovery, and just how connected we are to the sensitive sea below us.

Article·10 min read
“Indigenous wisdom has been stifled for far too long. We need it to save the planet.”

Indigenous peoples worldwide have been careful and educated stewards of the environment. Traditional ecological knowledge can intersect with modern science and public policy to our advantage as we work to curb climate change.

Article·5 min read
Creating a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ ocean advocates

At the intersection of equity and environmentalism, the organization Queer Surf Club is ensuring that people of all identities are being invited into the ocean, knowing it will take full inclusion to save our seas.

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Niel Leadon: Promoting conversations that act as a force for change

Niel Leadon is a Bahamian writer, conservationist, and photographer based in Nassau who operates at the nexus of creative storytelling and cultural representation. Through his conservation writing and photography, he unpacks hot-button social issues like white supremacy, the climate movement, and Black LGBTQ+ representation.

Article·6 min read
Katie Storr: Creating empathy for ocean ecosystems through photography

Katie Storr is a Bahamian photographer, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, and coral conservationist based in Nassau who is seeking to protect the Bahamas’ bountiful reefs for generations to come. Through her photos, she strives to connect people who have never been beneath the waves to the vital importance of preserving marine biodiversity and coral health.

Article·6 min read
Alannah Vellacott: Taking care of the Bahamian sea for the next generation

Alannah Vellacott is a Bahamian marine ecologist who has spent the past decade working in ocean research, conservation, and education in the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Currently, she is the Coral Restoration Specialist at Coral Vita and a member of Diving With a Purpose.

Article·5 min read
Nikita Shiel-Rolle: How love, care, and compassion can foster climate resilience

For Nikita Shiel-Rolle, science is a tool we can use to advance climate solutions and social justice. Through her work with the Cat Island community, she is helping Bahamians learn to fall in love with themselves through the lens of the ocean.

Article·7 min read
Speaking out for the unheard voices in the fishing community

The fishing organizations who have vehemently opposed the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act due to its recommendation that we protect 30% of U.S. waters by 2030 do not represent the voice of the collective fishing community. They represent short-sighted and parochial interests of the people who look like them. Fisherwoman and marine scientist Anupa Asokan explains why.

Article·4 min read
The Wayfarer / Sailing by the light of Hōkūleʻa

The very first modern Hawaiian navigator, Nainoa Thompson has charted a new course for his people with the canoe Hōkūleʻa. He is a figure of hope, a teacher to a new generation of wayfarers, and a reminder of the importance of caring for our Island Earth.

Article·14 min read
The Hawaiians reviving their islands’ ancient aquaculture practices

In an ocean state that now imports half of its seafood, a determined group of activists is restoring the age-old aquaculture practices of Native Hawaiians.

Article·14 min read

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