This unique facility achieves the level of sophisticated environment control required to simulate conditions associated with climate change from temperature and acidification. It also supports the latest molecular testing equipment. Combining the aquaria and genetics lab under one roof has already allowed critical research into identifying heat-resilient coral that can survive damaging heatwaves. The molecular laboratory is also enabling environmental DNA fingerprinting to monitor endangered sea snakes and wedgefish, and unlock forensic techniques to reveal the movements and behaviour of whale sharks.

There is an ongoing struggle over which states have the right to control access to and resources of the South China Sea. Maritime rights or sovereignty over various features in South China Sea are asserted by a range of states including Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. More than a mere dispute over resources, countries see defending their rights as essential to protecting their national security and affirming their national honour.

Ray Hilborn’s research aims to identify how to best manage fisheries to provide sustainable benefits to human society. In addition to his work on global fisheries, Ray Hilborn is one of the principal investigators for the University of Washington’s long-running Alaska Salmon Program. In recognition for his many contributions to fisheries science, he has received the Volvo Environmental Prize, the American Fisheries Societies Award of Excellence, The Ecological Society of America’s Sustainability Science Award, the International Fisheries Science Prize and the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists Outstanding Achievement Award. He is also an elected Fellow of the Washington State Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Hoyt Peckham is leading the development of WCS’ new global Small-scale Fisheries program. Prior to this, Hoyt founded and led the The SmartFish Group to incentivize more responsible fishing across Mexico and beyond. He holds a BA in biology and English from Bowdoin College, a doctorate in evolutionary ecology from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and was awarded a Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship. Hoyt has experience as a captain, diver, fisher, ecologist, and serial entrepreneur working in and on fisheries in Latin America, Polynesia, the Caribbean, NW Atlantic, SE Asia and Japan, and his specialties include responsible seafood, social enterprise, and transparency and equity in value chains.

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