The reason Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson founded this day was largely due to the "Ecology Movement" launched in the late '60s. Back then, efforts to raise awareness about pesticides poisoning birds and marine life and other pollutants were launched through "teach-ins," which were meant to be practical, participatory and action oriented.

Landmark legislation resulted from this movement, including some of the best laws in the world to protect our environment - the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air and Clean Water acts and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

What we are witnessing today is the increased urgency of the movement to take care of our Earth and, especially, our imperiled world ocean.

The first "More Fish in the Sea Festival" was held April 4 in the center of the Maui Community College campus. While this event brought together more than 1,500 ocean-loving island people to celebrate, talk story, learn and connect with others doing good sustainable work, it also answered the ocean's siren call.

When many of us were young, the sea healed us when we weren't well. Now we live in a time when our ocean is ailing and needs our help. Everything we do on land affects the sea. The festival aimed to join those doing work mauka that supports the health of our nearshore waters with those working in or on the water in a common vision of more fish in the sea.

The sponsors of the event were a consortium of organizations, community groups and individuals who love the ocean. We, more than anyone, have seen the changes in the nearshore waters and understand much of this change is our own doing. Our shared vision - we all want more fish in the sea, whether to eat them or look at them or for their unique intrinsic value - unites us in this movement to reduce our own impacts on the ocean.

The ocean is our life, our way of life, our livelihood, our source of spiritual renewal, our place of sustenance, joy, cultural practice for some and recreation for others, and on and on. When the ocean thrives, so do we - E ola ke kai, e ola kakou. We are rallying to support those who are engaged right now in supporting the recovery of the ocean. Our purpose is to assist those who want to be in action but don't know how to connect with those who do.

Examples of some groups and businesses who are already in action: Maui Nui Marine Resources Council, Waihe'e Limu Restoration, Hui O Paukukalo, Maui Makai Watch, E Alu Pu, Save Honolua Coalition, Hawai'i Wildilfe Fund, Save Makena.org, Maui Tomorrow, Maui Reef Fund, Maui Trailer Boat Club, MCC Sustainability Club, Maui Invasive Species Committee, Merriman's, Maui Cultural Lands, Kai Makana, Ka Honua Momona International, Pump Don't Dump, the DIRE Coalition, 'Ao'ao o Na Loko I'a, and the Harold KL Castle Foundation. There are others.

Uncle Ed Lindsey was honored with the first annual Malama i ke Kai Award for his work on land with Malama Honokowai, as a co-founder of Maui Nui Marine Resources Council and his willingness to stand up for the health of the nearshore waters of Maui.

At the end of the afternoon, more than 50 individuals continued to work, choosing 11 core topic areas for discussion. Please see www.morefishhawaii.com. Five key actions within these topics and the commitments that we are willing to make to carry them out were identified and will be further discussed at the Earth Day event April 19 at Baldwin Beach.

An underlying theme throughout was the need for education and raising awareness. We hope that this event served as one of many solid steps in that direction.

* Hannah Bernard is a marine biologist specializing in Pacific Ocean marine life conservation. She is president of the Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and serves on two federally appointed peer-review panels advising the National Marine Fisheries Service.