An Interview – Leon Boey

This week on ‘An Interview with WiseOceans’ we spoke with Leon Boey from Livingseas Foundation

Name: Leon Boey

Role: Director

Company: Livingseas Foundation

Top Tip: Don’t be shy about reaching out!

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in marine conservation? 

Having travelled and dived for 20 years all over the world, I’ve seen the reef slowly decline with my own eyes. Once I saw the bleaching event happen in Phuket, I knew I needed to do something about it. From that point on, I joined other projects and learnt as much as I could about corals, and eventually started my own project here in Bali.

2. What steps did you take or are you currently taking to achieve your career goals?

My goal is to plant as much coral as possible, in as many places as possible. Building a sustainable funding method has been critical to achieving this goal, so my focus is on building regenerative tourism activities where anybody can come and plant corals and contribute to the ocean. Currently, we are reaching out to tour agencies around the world in order to promote this new and unique regenerative activity.

3. How did you obtain your current position? 

I essentially created my own position by starting the Livingseas Coral Restoration Site in Padangbai, Bali.

4. Which part of your job do you enjoy the most?  

I love being surrounded by large clouds of fish on a coral reef. It gives me some hope that we can fix the world.

5. Are there aspects of your position which make you feel that you are really ‘making a difference’? 

Yes, every time I dive the reef we’ve created and see all the fish that have come back to live there, I feel that the positive impact created is really very tangible and visible.

6. What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out?

That it’s really not that difficult once you get started, just plant a little bit every day, and eventually you’ll get to a large enough size.

7. Are there any skills you never thought you would need but did?

I never thought I would be managing a company of almost 40 people, but now I am! I never thought I would need this kind of corporate mentality, but when you reach a certain size, managerial skills become a necessity!

8. What advice would you give to budding marine conservationists?  

Get out there and apply to the organisations you are interested in. Marine conservation always needs help, and I know most organisations could use more passionate people. Don’t be shy about reaching out!

9. What is your favourite marine creature and why?

The yellow box fish and the thornback cowfish are my favourites because they are so small and cute, and they always look shocked when they see you.

10. What is your most unforgettable moment in the sea?

I remember having a whale shark swim up right behind me on the surface in the middle of the South China Sea. It was directly behind me, so I guess it didn’t see me, and would have swallowed my legs if I hadn’t moved out of its way!