The International SeaKeepers Society will hold its annual Founders Event on 29 October 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, bringing together figures from the yachting, scientific and conservation worlds for a night that doubles as both celebration and fundraiser.
For New Zealand readers, the relevance sits with SeaKeepers' South Pacific chapter, part of the organisation's wider international network that also includes offices in the US, UK and Asia. The model, recreational boat owners supporting citizen science and marine research, is increasingly mirrored by programmes closer to home, where cruising boats and charter operators are being asked to contribute data and observations in New Zealand waters.
That local network has been growing steadily, with Auckland Central Marina, Silo Marina and Westhaven Marina all signing on as Marina Partners, and Gulf Harbour Marina joining the list soon after, giving boaties on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula their own direct line into the research effort.
Two honorees headline this year's gala. Christina Lotter will be named 2026 SeaKeeper of the Year, recognised for 15 years of involvement with the organisation. Her background spans more than 40 years across luxury yacht building, hospitality, events, marketing and communications, and she has been credited with strengthening SeaKeepers' international reach.
Lotter has also pushed to get more women into ocean advocacy roles. She has been central to growing the society's UK and South African chapters, and helped set up its Ambassador Programme.
The second honour, the 2026 NextGen Award, goes to Dr Shelby Thomas. She founded Ocean Rescue Alliance International, which has run more than 40 restoration projects covering coral reefs, seagrass meadows and oyster habitats.
Under her leadership, ORAI has deployed more than 500 artificial reef structures and backed the outplanting of more than 30,000 corals. Thomas first worked with SeaKeepers in 2023, and the two organisations have since run joint research and monitoring trips focused on reef restoration and fish habitat.
The evening will also spotlight the DISCOVERY Fleet, SeaKeepers' network of privately owned recreational vessels that underpins much of its research, education and conservation work around the world. Boat owners volunteer their vessels so scientists can get to sea, making the fleet the backbone of the whole operation.
Founders 2026 will acknowledge Fleet owners and representatives directly, framing the partnership between yacht owners, scientists and conservation groups as central to what makes the research possible in the first place.
The gala runs from 7pm to 11pm on 29 October at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. SeaKeepers was founded in Monaco in 1998 and has spent more than 27 years working with the yachting community on ocean research and conservation.
