Biodiverse sea life congregates under the cover of kelp. A bustling array of aquatic creatures thrive in these complex, interconnected ocean communities. But in our new episode of “A Sea of Hope,” now streaming on YouTube, our co-founders uncover a once flourishing underwater world that has vanished beneath the waves of New Zealand’s vast oceanic territory. For a nation that’s set an exemplary standard in land protection—having already protected over 30% of its terrestrial environment—we shockingly find a direct contradiction to these efforts the moment the sand meets the shore. While the sea comprises 93% of New Zealand’s domain, only 0.38% of its total ocean area falls in a protected region. The lack of protections allows for overfishing and other destructive practices that decimate the surrounding ecosystems. However, when Cristina, Paul, and Andy neared and eventually crossed the invisible boundaries of a marine reserve, an astonishing contrast to the barren waters they traveled...