Conservationist/artist Guy Harvey to speak in Palm Beach Monday

For 15 years, the nonprofit Guy Harvey Foundation has partnered with local and international organizations to conduct scientific research and host educational programs that teach about the importance of ocean conservation.

On Monday, the foundation's namesake will discuss those efforts as the guest speaker at the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce's monthly breakfast meeting at The Breakers.

Guy Harvey, along with his daughter, Jessica, will share slides, discuss the foundation's research, and talk about the marine science curriculum it has been rolling out in Florida.

Related: Palm Beach Chamber welcomes sellout crowd to The Breakers for season's first breakfast event

Available through the Discovery Channel, the Guy Harvey Foundation website and teacher training programs, the curriculum includes discussions on coral reefs, open ocean fish species, mangroves, near-shore ecosystems, climate change and the effects of pollution, particularly plastic pollution.

"Today we face enormous problems with the overexploitation of many aspects of marine life with this coast and adjacent coasts and the Caribbean," Harvey told the Daily News. "The more knowledge given to people to help them utilize sustainable marine resources, the better. That's what we're after."

The Guy Harvey Foundation, which provides financial support to the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University, is based in Fort Lauderdale.

Harvey, who was raised in Jamaica and now lives in the Cayman Islands, visits often.

"I commute back and forth," said Harvey, who in addition to his work as a conservationist also is a well-known marine wildlife artist, scientist, author and entrepreneur. "The foundation is run by professionals, and it's been run with some degree of competence for decades. The brand has done very well for a long time. We have the support of the community, the state of Florida and all across the southeast U.S."

Harvey, who holds an undergraduate degree in marine biology from Aberdeen University in Scotland and earned his doctorate in fisheries management from the University of the West Indies, became interested in marine wildlife at a young age.

"Growing up in Jamaica planted the early seeds of interest to become a marine scientist," he said. "At university I narrowed this interest to fish and fishery management."

Drawing and painting also have been a lifelong passion for Harvey, who became an accomplished fish illustrator and artist.

His work, which often depicts marine sport fish in their natural settings, has been reproduced on canvas, fine art prints, posters, magazines, and books, as well as being licensed for use in merchandising such as T-shirts, aloha-style shirts, belts and hats.

Harvey also has written several books, with his latest, "10,000 Chicken Sandwiches," telling the story of his childhood in western Jamaica. It includes black-and-white photos taken by his mom as well as his own ink drawings.

"The story is the beginning of the journey that brings us to today," he said. "It's about growing up with a family that loves the outdoors, and my schooling and university in the UK that set a course for a career in fisheries management. Some success in early art shows changed that, and my hobby became my profession."

Currently, Harvey is working on shark research projects in Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, including the Galápagos Islands.

Billfish research continues in Costa Rica and Panama, he added.

Harvey also continues to paint in his home studio "so we have lots of new art available online, in our dedicated stores at SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, on Las Olas in Ft Lauderdale, and in Grand Cayman," he said.

Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Evans said he looks forward to Harvey's presentation Monday at The Breakers.

"Guy’s appearance here was a personal request from me, as I had the honor to work with him for a year," Evans said. "It’s so critical we get his story out directly to our members who shape public opinion here in Palm Beach and the region. I’m hoping that after this presentation, our community will rally behind Guy to further his personal mission of conservation, education and research."

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach Chamber to host renowned conservationist Guy Harvey on Monday