Letter from the 
CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2021 was a choppy year marked by poignant environmental and social challenges. While we are all too aware of what’s happening above ground, below the waves we slowly continue to learn about the impact of human activity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected this year that the ocean will transition to unprecedented conditions by the end of the 21st century due to accelerating carbon and heat uptake, with the ocean expected to absorb 5-7 times as much heat as was taken up over the last 50 years. The implications for marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them are severe. 

Despite all this, I want to write today about hope and impact. Over the years, MARE has shone a light in new locations, and is proud to have illuminated the benefits of protecting our ocean. At this year’s UN General Assembly, the leaders of more than 100 countries agreed with this sentiment when they stood up and publicly committed to the “30×30” goal to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. Our home state of California quickly followed suit with its own matching target. At MARE we are committed to supporting data-driven decisions that further our pursuit of intelligent ocean management, and we intend to work tirelessly to deepen our impact here at home, expand our reach to new shores, and deploy new technologies in support of 30×30 and other impactful global initiatives.

Against all odds, 2021 was a year of unprecedented expansion for MARE, and we have no plans to slow down. The time is now to do more for our oceans. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we invite you to support MARE and join us as we pursue our vision for a thriving ocean.

Jon Glassman
Chair, Board of Directors

MARE TECHNOLOGY: Our Window to the Deep

Marine technology illuminates previously unreachable depths, enabling critical research and helping us understand our unexplored and elusive deep sea. Through our efforts to document, analyze and understand the wonders of the deep sea, we are collectively learning how to effectively manage and preserve Earth’s final frontier. Through the advancement of blue technology, MARE has upheld its mission to explore, discover and protect the deep sea.

ROV BEAGLE: 1,000 meters deep

Our flagship vehicle delivers live HD video and stills for detailed ocean imaging. The Beagle is equipped with nine cameras, a suite of deep sea sensors, and a manipulator arm for sample collection. The ROV Beagle sets the standard for California’s MPA ROV surveys.

CALIFORNIA MARINE PROTECTED AREAS –  In 2020 and 2021 MARE used the ROV Beagle to document    MPAs from San Diego to Crescent City and surveyed over 350 km to inform California’s decadal review of MPAs.

ROV MANTIS: 200 meters deep

Excelling at a wide range of inspection and exploration tasks, this mini ROV is nimble with a compact arm for small sampling and recovery missions. The Mantis provides a cost-effective alternative to the use of larger platforms. This vehicle can be utilized by smaller ships, flown as checked baggage on commercial flights, and still provides high quality visual assessments.

COSTA RICA SHARK SURVEY-   MARE and ROV Mantis followed the elusive Tiger Shark in the Cocos Islands, 300 miles from the shore of Costa Rica. A team of expert scientists studied and filmed tiger, silver tip reef, hammerhead and Galapagos sharks as part of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week series.

BATFish: 30-100 meters deep

Weighing just 120 lbs., this hydrodynamic towsled is an economical broad-area visual survey tool.The maneuverable towed glider collects high- definition video and is easy to operate from a small boat with minimal crew.

HAWAII 30X30-   BATFish’s inaugural expedition surveyed 90 km along the Maui coast and more than 10 km of Molokai’s coast to inform Hawaii’s 30×30 Initiative.
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CORAL DISEASE IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS-   Augmenting diver surveys, BATFish was able to cover almost 50 km three times faster than diver teams to document Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the British Virgin Islands.

Coral Tissue Loss Disease
IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

OUR TECHNOLOGY BEING USED TO FIND AND HELP PROTECT AT-RIST SPECIES: Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) is weakening large Caribbean reef systems by rapidly killing coral colonies. MARE took BATFish to the frontlines of the coral disease epidemic in the British Virgin Islands, where the team worked in partnership with local agencies, nonprofits and diver strike teams working to track and treat the disease. This time-critical data will inform resource allocation and intervention efforts to mitigate loss of these critical reef habitats.

Our New Research Vessel
THE TOMCAT

Our new research vessel TomCat, a 38-foot aluminum catamaran, has been busy this year on San Francisco Bay. MARE is working with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and Applied Marine Sciences to better understand the impacts of elevated selenium in the Bay. Selenium is an essential trace nutrient for animals, but at high concentrations causes reproductive harm and other adverse health effects in fish, birds and amphibians.

With a top speed of 20 knots and a draft of only 2.5 feet, the TomCat is an ideal vessel for shallow water sampling as well as open ocean work. This catamaran is an efficient, stable, highly maneuverable platform with a wide, open deck and swim platform from which a variety of sampling equipment can be deployed. 

SAM PARKER, Biologist
Sam leads MARE’s video post-cruise analyses. He has an extensive background in conducting scientific research, having spent 11 years as a Pacific Halibut Commission Biologist in Alaska. He is a licensed drone pilot and has worked for MARE since 2016 serving in a variety of roles: ROV/drone pilot, navigator and video analyst. Sam has a B.S. in fisheries biology from Humboldt State University. Sam spends most of his free time fishing from his kayak, freediving, and crafting artisanal bacon.

KYLE PALMER, Chief Engineer
Kyle is MARE’s Chief Engineer, supporting offshore expeditions and maintaining our fleet of vehicles. He is a licensed electrical engineer and also a published scientist with a background in environmental systems. Kyle is talented in many aspects of engineering, fabrication, design and the sciences. He has worked in many facets of electrical design, from small-scale embedded circuit board designs that require nanowatt power consumption to megawatt-scale solar plus storage microgrid designs. When Kyle is not designing or troubleshooting electrical systems, he is biking, running, surfing, freediving, kayaking, or trying to enjoy a wild place in an adventurous way.

GRETA GOSHORN, Biologist and Outreach Coordinator
Greta works on a variety of tasks at MARE including data analysis/management and outreach. She has extensive research experience, including working with Reef Check California as an AAUS scientific diver, performing sea star wasting disease assessments and researching predation stimuli effects on invasive snails. Greta is a NAUI SCUBA instructor at the Catalina Island Marine Institute and volunteers with the Humboldt State University dive program. She holds a B.S. in Biology with a marine emphasis from Humboldt State University. In her free time, she can be found diving, hiking, surfing, paddleboarding, baking, or playing the steel pan.

NISSA KREIDLER, GIS and Data Management Specialist
Nissa manages MARE’s geospatial map- ping and associated data analysis, and also performs ROV navigation offshore. Nissa has over ten years of experience in coastal and marine conservation, with a background in spatial ecology, science communication, and habitat restoration. She has worked with many organizations including Save The Bay, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Humboldt State Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit. She holds a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Fisheries Biology from Humboldt State University. In her free time she roams the Pacific Northwest with her dog Todd.

ABBY NICKELS, Education Program Manager
Abby manages MARE’s Deep Sea Education Program. She has spent the last decade of her career building and advancing non-profit environmental education programs. Most recently, she held the position of Associate Director of Education at the Aquarium of the Bay. Previously, she was the LiMPETS Program Manager for the Greater Farallones Association. In that role, she trained and supported LiMPETS teachers and students in their coastal monitoring efforts. Abby earned her B.S. in Marine Biology from U.C. Santa Cruz, and her M.S. in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University. In her free time, when she is not exploring local tide pools along the coast, she continues her love of exploration and discovery through travel, backpacking, and stand-up paddleboarding.

FINANCIALS