John Nightingale, Ocean Wise founder and former Vancouver Aquarium CEO, dies at 75
Former Vancouver Aquarium CEO John Nightingale died of cancer Monday at the age of 75 in Vernon, B.C.
Nightingale was head of the aquarium for 25 years from 1993 to 2018. He was also known for co-founding the non-profit organization Ocean Wise, which aims to protect the world's oceans and create sustainable seafood sourcing.
Ocean Wise ambassador Ned Bell describes Nightingale as a passionate leader in ocean conservation.
"He inspired many Canadians and many global citizens to think more about the health of our oceans, the ecosystem, and of course the communities that rely on healthy lakes, oceans and rivers in this country," Bell said.
"The list is long, he left a legacy that is untouchable in my opinion and he [was] an extraordinary man."
'He was passionate about Mother Nature'
Nightingale was born in Boulder, Colo., in 1947 and raised in La Grande, Ore.
Nightingale moved to Vancouver in 1993 after working at the New York Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium and Maui Ocean Centre.
At the Vancouver Aquarium, he expanded the science, research and conservation programs, and launched initiatives such as Ocean Wise, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute.
"He was passionate about Mother Nature … John wasn't born in Canada, but he certainly cared as deeply about Canada as he did any country around the world that the ocean touched," said Bell.
Robert Clark, co-founder of Ocean Wise, said Nightingale was "very thoughtful" when it came to his advocacy and how it impacted other people.
"There's one thing he would always say that I use still today. He said, 'Robert, nobody wants to be part of the problem. Most people want to be part of the solution. We have to show them what the solution is.'"
Nightingale's final years with the Vancouver Aquarium weren't without controversy, following the deaths of captive whales in 2016 and 2017.
Public outcry after the deaths led to the end of the cetacean program in 2018, which Nightingale fought to try and continue.
On Thursday, a LinkedIn post was shared from Nightingale's profile noting a final message and thank you he had for former colleagues, friends, and staff from the Vancouver Aquarium and Ocean Wise.
"I want to strongly encourage you to keep going forward with drive and vigour, engaging around the beauty, issues and needs of our ecosystems, particularly the world's oceans," said Nightingale in the post.
