Let’s give a hand and welcome this month’s guest, Inez! Inez is working with an ocean cleanup organisation, Seven Clean Seas as a campaign executive. She also is a freelance nature guide (@limpehloanshark) where she brings people down to coastal areas to showcase local biodiversity! To add to her impressive resume, she is also a small business owner of @beachcombers.co where she turns discarded fishing line into jewellery.
When asked what the reason for her interest in marine conservation, she told us:
“I’ve always had the love for the ocean since I was young and had a HUGE obsession with sharks and was always curious to learn about them! As I continued to read more about the threats towards marine life, I only grew more passionate about finding ways to contribute to their conservation”
We asked about her journey in marine conservation - her highs and lows, she said:
“I have so many highs I don’t even know where to start! I have definitely been blessed with such high amazing experience throughout my marine conservation journey -but the biggest highlight was definitely my internship at the shark lab in the bahamas!”
Inez was able to assist in shark and ray research during her internship and it was also the first time she has seen sharks and rays in the wild. She came back to Singapore equipped with these new skills and knowledge that she got to share more about through talks and local research.
She does not like to dwell on the lows but here’s what she had to say about them,
“people don’t have the best impression of people working in my field - they think it’s low paying, no future and the general idea that “passion leads no where” but look at me now!!! i’m so happy that i was able to turn my passion into my career :)”
We also asked Inez for some advice for those who are interested in following her steps, here’s what she said:
“If you have a passion for something, just do it! No matter how difficult, niche or obscure the journey is, you can always find a way to pursue your passion!”
While most people think that a degree in marine biology or socience is needed in marine conservation. It is far from the truth! Marine Conservation is in need of people from different types of fields to contribute! For example, marketing is essential to spread the importance of conservation messages (think of all the shark fin advertisements you’ve seen your whole life!) or even engineers who help in improving technology to improve plastic production processes so carbon emissions can be reduced. She believes that you can help in many ways, you just need to find out how.
To end off, we asked her what her favourite quote was, here is what she said:
“ When i was in secondary school, my good friend charlene and i saw this quote on tumblr: “she believed she could, so she did” - this is something that always inspired me and continues to! i truly believe that if you put your mind and soul into something, your opportunities are endless :-)”
