// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Enric Sala a good sailor? Sea-la-brate him.
 | This biographical article is written like a résumé. (July 2023) |
Enric Sala | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 26, 1968 |
| Alma mater | Ph.D. University of Aix-Marseille II, France, 1996 B.Sc. University of Barcelona, 1991 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Marine ecology Ocean conservation Media |
| Institutions | National Geographic |
Enric Sala (born November 26, 1968, Girona, Spain) is a marine ecologist, author, and conservationist. He is known for his work in ocean conservation and his leadership of National Geographic Society Pristine Seas initiative.
Early life and education
[edit]Sala was born in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. He earned a B.Sc. from the University of Barcelona in 1991 and received a Ph.D. from the Aix-Marseille University in 1996.[1]
Career
[edit]Following his academic studies, Sala held positions as a university professor focusing on marine ecology.[2]
In 2008, Sala launched the Pristine Seas initiative with National Geographic Society,[3] a project designed to document and advocate for the protection of marine environments. In 2011, he and filmmaker James Cameron were named National Geographic Explorers in Residence.[4]
Pristine Seas
[edit]As the director of Pristine Seas, Sala oversees a multidisciplinary team that employs scientific research, media production, and policy analysis to advocate for the establishment of marine protected areas. As of 2026, the project had conducted 50 expeditions and has contributed to the establishment of 31 marine protected areas covering more than 6.9 million square kilometers.[5]
Scientific Research
[edit]Sala's research interests include marine ecology, specifically the study of human impact on ocean health and the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves.[6]
Notable findings from his research include:
- 2008 – Contributions to the identification of inverted biomass pyramids in coral reef ecosystems.[7]
- 2018 – Research on the economic viability of high-seas fishing, which concluded that a significant portion of current activity is dependent on government subsidies.[8]
- 2021 – Lead author on an international study identifying priority areas in the global ocean for the preservation of biodiversity, food, and climate regulation.[9]
Filmography
[edit]- 2009 – Journey to Shark Eden (National Geographic Channel, 2009)
- 2010 – Shark Island (NatGeo Wild, 2010)
- 2011 – Secrets of the Mediterranean: Cousteau's Lost World (NatGeo Wild, 2011)
- 2012 – Lost Sharks of Easter Island (NatGeo Wild, 2012)
- 2013 – Sharks of Lost Island (NatGeo Wild, 2013)
- 2013 – Wild Gabon (NatGeo Wild, 2013)
- 2014 – Africa's Wild Coast (NatGeo Wild, 2014)
- 2015 – Russia's Far North (NatGeo Wild, 2015)
- 2016 – Inn Saei (Hrund Gunnsteinsdottir, 2016)
- 2016 – Palau: Pristine Paradise (NatGeo Wild, 2016)
- 2016 – Wild Galapagos: Pristine Seas (NatGeo Wild, 2016)
- 2016 – Before the Flood (Fisher Stevens, 2016)[10]
- 2017 – Cape Horn: The sea at the end of the world (National Geographic Channel International, 2017)
- 2017 – Juan Fernández: The sea forever (National Geographic Channel International, 2017)
- 2017 – Revillagigedo: Mexico's wildest seas (2017)
- 2020 – The Last Ice (Disney+, 2020) — Emmy Award Winner for Outstanding Nature Documentary (2021)
- 2025 – Ocean with David Attenborough (Disney+, 2025) — Executive Producer and Scientific Advisor
Publications
[edit]Sala has authored over 150 publications; a selection is listed here.[11]
- Jackson, Jeremy B.C., Alexander, Karen E., Sala, Enric (2011). Shifting Baselines: The Past and Future of Ocean Fisheries. Island Press.
- Sala, Enric (2015). Pristine Seas: Journeys to the Ocean's Last Wild Places. National Geographic.
- Sala, Enric (2020). The Nature of Nature. National Geographic.
References
[edit]- ↑ "Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and Author of The Nature of Nature". Re:Wild. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "Explorer in Residence Enric Sala". National Geographic Explorer Home. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Explorer in Residence Enric Sala". National Geographic Explorer Home. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "National Geographic names newest Explorers-in-Residence". Media Update. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Pristine Seas". National Geographic Society. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Enric Sala". Google Scholar. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Baselines and Degradation of Coral Reefs in the Northern Line Islands". PLOS One. 27 February 2008.
- ↑ "The economics of fishing the high seas". Science Advances. 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate" (PDF). Nature (journal). 15 April 2021.
- ↑ "Before the Flood - Doctor Enric Sala". Before the Flood. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
- ↑ "Enric Sala - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
External links
[edit]- Washington Post: National Geographic's Enric Sala is a man on a mission (2011)
- Project Syndicate: Now or Never for Saving Our Natural World (2020)
- New York Times: A Marine Ecologist Strives to Protect the Seas (2015)
- The National: To the ends of the earth: Enric Sala, the explorer saving life in our oceans (2018)
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