A Look Back at Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2024

Last week, members of our Aquarium leadership team, two of our ClimaTeens, and Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life scientists and experts attended Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) in Washington, D.C. Learn more about CHOW and how it connects to our work to protect the blue planet below!

What is CHOW?

Hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Capitol Hill Ocean Week, a.k.a. CHOW, is the nation’s premier ocean policy conference, which takes place each year in June during Ocean Month. CHOW brings together a broad and diverse coalition of the conservation community, including scientists, policymakers, Indigenous groups, youth advocates, business leaders, educators, and the philanthropic community, all gathering around significant issues that impact our ocean.

What happens at CHOW?

This year, the theme of CHOW was Leadership, calling upon “leaders from all walks of life to come together to drive attention and innovation to protect our ocean and center people at the core of ocean solutions” and connecting ocean leaders in the efforts to reduce biodiversity loss and tackle climate change. Meetings, plenary sessions, exhibits, and more connect attendees to one another and offer opportunities for dialogue and collaboration throughout the week.

CHOW also serves as a marker for state and federal policy action during Ocean Month. In advance of CHOW, the Biden-Harris Administration furthered important conservation goals, including through the release of the management plan for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, and the National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy. The Aquarium informed each of these policy documents through public comment and will continue partnering with the federal government to help implement these important policies that protect the ocean.

Aquarium President and CEO Vikki Spruill and State Senator Julian Cyr on the Blue Economy

During CHOW, Vikki Spruill met with State Senator Julian Cyr (D-MA) to talk about our state blue economy package. Watch the interview above.

Furthering our work to protect the blue planet

From attending advocacy meetings and speaking on a panel about offshore wind to amplifying the work of our Marine Conservation Action Fund to holding conversations on the blue economy and biodiversity, our team did it all!

Some of the highlights? Aquarium President and CEO Vikki Spruill interviewed Massachusetts State Senator Julian Cyr about our state blue economy legislative package. Our Chief of Conservation and Stewardship, Dr. Letise LaFeir, described the need for science to inform sustainable offshore wind development and management as an invited CHOW panelist. Vice President and Chief Scientist of our Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Dr. John Mandelman, spoke with the US State Department about how to harness science and technology for the ocean. Associate Vice President of Ocean Conservation Practice Sarah Reiter met with officials at the White House to discuss the newly released biodiversity and sustainable ocean economy strategies. Elizabeth Stephenson, director of our Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF), was featured at our CHOW Exhibit Booth, highlighting the important work of MCAF and the MCAF Fellows in low- and middle-income countries around the world.

Throughout the week, Aquarium staff discussed a range of ocean issues with congressional offices, White House and agency officials, philanthropic partners, and community leaders. Two of our ClimaTeens, Finley Bean and Maria Xerez, also attended official meetings, CHOW sessions, and events as part of the Sea Youth Rise Up conference, which ran concurrently with CHOW. Several members of the delegation also attended Upwell: A Wave of Ocean Justice, which was an all-day event that prioritized “experiences and voices of experts from historically marginalized communities in ocean conservation,” as well as events and meetings organized by the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, of which the Aquarium is a leading member. Over only a few days, the Aquarium successfully demonstrated our leadership in the ocean conservation community, amplified the importance of our science in policymaking, and enhanced our knowledge of philanthropic and political priorities.

Check out more photos from CHOW below!