John Nightingale, a global leader in ocean conservation and of Vancouver’s Aquarium for a quarter-century, died Monday.
The 75-year-old passed away in Vernon after a short battle with cancer.
“He left us peacefully looking out from his sunny patio surrounded by family and music,” an obituary reads.
Born in Colorado and raised in Oregon, the fisheries biologist moved to Vancouver in 1993 after working at the New York Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium and Maui Ocean Centre.
Nightingale was head of Vancouver’s aquarium from 1993 to 2018 and expanded its science, research and conservation programs, developing non-profit initiatives including Ocean Wise and its Coastal Ocean Research Institute and the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
Formerly known as the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Ocean Wise works to protect oceans by creating avenues for sustainable seafood sourcing.
“John loved working together strategizing ways to help solve the Earth’s environment issues, most particularly as they applied to its oceans,” his wife Jacqueline Gijssen posted Thursday on LinkedIn.
“He passionately believed that conservation begins with engagement — connecting people to nature and building a commitment to conservation through inspiration and knowledge.”
Gijssen also shared a final message Nightingale recorded for his former colleagues, friends and staff, just days before his passing:
“I leave this world sad for all the work left to be accomplished that I am so passionate about, but mostly I am sad for missing the chance to work with all of you going forward … 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 worlds oceans.”
In 2018 he told Postmedia News as he stepped down as the Vancouver aquarium’s director that he was most proud of having transformed the local institute into a global force for ocean conservation by engaging people around the world in ocean issues.
Under his watch, attendance at the facility grew from 750,000 to 1.2 million in 2016. It also became a self-sustaining organization with revenue-producing subsidiaries to support its $40 million a year operations.
Nightingale also created for-profit subsidiaries that — among other things — helped create a Las Vegas hotel’s shark exhibit and now manage Europe’s largest aquarium L’Oceanografic in Valencia, Spain, on a long-term contract.
“John’s impact on the City of Vancouver and the millions of guests who enjoyed the aquarium will be felt for generations,” the non-profit said in a statement Thursday.
“John encouraged the aquarium’s visitors to look at our ocean and the world from different perspectives. He insisted that the globe in the aquarium be placed ‘upside down’ to force people to question their own perspectives and the impact on climate change.”
— With files from Daphne Bramham
