14 DAY TRIAL // Christmas is long gone, but the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation appears not to have snapped out of its giving mood yet.
Thus, it was just yesterday when it announced a $3 million (€2.18 million) grant to a green group whose chief focus is on protecting the world's seas and oceans and the creatures that live in them.
In a press release issued on February 20, Oceana, i.e. the organization set to benefit from the money thatthe Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation appears to be more than willing to part with, details that the funds will serve to protect marine ecosystems.
Some of the money will be used to boost the long-term survival chances of species that are currently threatened with extinction either because humans have destroyed their natural habitats, or because they fall victims to the fishing industry all too often.
Thus, Oceana plans to use the grant to roll out several campaigns intended to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly fishing practices.
“The foundation and Leo’s support for campaigns like our efforts to ban the drift gillnets in California will help Oceana win more protections for countless sharks and other marine animals and for ocean habitats in the Pacific and Arctic,” explained Oceana CEO Andy Sharpless.
Furthermore, “The net impact will be a much more abundant and biodiverse ocean that has many millions more sharks and critical and amazing marine animals, wilder and more pristine ocean habitats and oceans that can feed over a billion people a healthy seafood meal each day.”
In its press release, the organization details that the $3 million is to be spread over a period of three years. By the looks of it, the money comes from the funds that were raised during last year's 11th Hour Charity Auction.
“Protecting our planet’s oceans and the marine species that call it home is one of the most pressing sustainability crises facing humanity today and a moral imperative that we must acknowledge,” Leonardo DiCaprio commented on this partnership with the green group.
“It’s my hope that this grant will help Oceana continue the tremendous work that they do daily on behalf of our oceans,” the actor went on to say.