Taking a step to be more visible, ignite interest in its databases and guide people on how to leverage them for conservation efforts, Q-quatics participated in the Diving Resort Travel (DRT) Expo held at the SMX Convention Center in Manila, Philippines from September 6-8, 2024. The DRT Show is organized by LX Development Group, the world’s Largest Diving Expo organizer.
The event also served to build connections with fellow exhibitors, particularly conservation NGOs, aligning on shared goals, expanding media contacts, and strengthening online exposure. We were thrilled to have welcomed and hosted hundreds of enthusiastic and curious visitors to the Q-quatics booth, A27, including divers, dive instructors, dive shop and resort owners, underwater photographers, media representatives, conservation NGO staff, and individuals from all walks of life and ages. They eagerly participated in our educational games focused on marine wildlife and their preservation, explored our global databases and analytical tools with chances to win magni-fish-cent prizes. The show’s atmosphere was electric, and everyone, from the young to the young-at-heart showed enjoyment learning something new along the way!
We featured The FishBase Guide App, a fun and educational Android app perfect for all fish enthusiasts, producers, and consumers alike. It provides users with a wealth of information about our aquatic friends, where they are distributed, their vital statistics, conservation status, and more. It is designed to captivate users with insights to the species towards inspiring them to take action in supporting the sustainable management of our precious marine and freshwater resources.
The Fish Sound Quiz challenged players to identify the fish that produces the sounds they hear. It hones listening skills while enhancing knowledge of aquatic life.
As visitors mark their favorite locations on the AquaMaps Interactive Map — be it a dive site, resort, house, reef, or marine protected area (MPA) — they discover the rich marine biodiversity in the area gaining insights how climate impacts could alter species distribution over time.
There was a photo booth to take snaps of aspiring ocean warriors holding conservation-themed signages and help Q-quatics make bigger waves in protecting the ocean.
Out of our DIY puffer fish tambiolo, visitors who dropped their calling cards had a chance to win an exclusive, custom-designed Q-quatics shirt each day of the expo through a raffle draw.
Our Ms. Patricia Yap, Species Distribution Theme Lead of Q-quatics, delivered “Q-quatics Isda Way: Diving Into Data-Driven Marine Conservation” in one of the conservation seminars. During her talk, Ms. Patricia Yap took a deep dive into the vital role of scientific data in driving marine conservation efforts. She highlighted how Q-quatics’ global aquatic information systems, FishBase and SeaLifeBase, are advancing the world’s understanding of marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable ocean management, and how citizen science can play a crucial role in these efforts.
Patricia’s presentation showcased several innovative tools powered by FishBase and SeaLifeBase data, such as the Fish Ruler, Identification Tools, the FishBase Guide app, the Fish Sound Quiz, and AquaMaps biodiversity maps which help illustrate changes in marine species diversity in a specific area under future climate scenarios.
In gratitude to the diving community, the presentation also showcased the stunning underwater images of marine life of some of the most active photo contributors of FishBase and SeaLifeBase.
Aside from highlighting the wealth of publicly available information on marine species worldwide, demonstrating how tools like AquaMaps can be used to visualize the potential impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity and habitats, it was also emphasized that anyone, regardless of their background, can contribute to marine conservation through collaboration, volunteering, donations, or mindful choices while diving. Show visitors later visited the Q-quatics booth to express how Patricia’s talk sparked a renewed passion to protect our oceans.
Last but not the least, show visitors from the British School Manila and International School of Manila dropped by our Q-quatics booth to discuss future collaborations. We hope to sustain their curiosity and foster a love for our precious ‘ocean buddies’ as well as cultivate the next generation of marine conservationists. Early exposure is key. Because every child who learns to love the ocean today, becomes a defender of it tomorrow.
