Justin Etzin
About Justin Etzin
Justin Etzin became a diplomat in November 2009 when he was appointed by The Seychelles Government as The Consul General of The Seychelles for The United States of America. The Seychelles is one of the worlds leaders in conservation, with 42% of the land reserved for conservation efforts to protect endangered wildlife. Environmental protection is considered a cultural value in the Seychelles. Justin wanted to bring these same cultural values to countries across the globe, ensuring that our fragile oceans are protected for future generations. There are no issues facing the oceans that can’t be solved with political will. That is why he started the OOOF Foundation.
Justin lives between the Seychelles, & Europe. In the Seychelles he is the owner of Ocean Capital Seychelles, a privately funded investment and development company. He is also actively involved and manages a self-funded charitable foundation, The Etzin Foundation, which provides special experiences for the terminally ill as well as funds life-saving medical equipment for hospitals that are in need of funding.
He is a leading international entrepreneur in corporate and consumer hospitality as well as residential and commercial boutique construction and development. Best known for designing and developing high-profile entertainment, retail and business venues worldwide including Altitude London which consist of his franchise in the United Kingdom with the Altitude 360 brand, along with The View Studios, The River Room and The MillBank Media Centre. Together the four venues form the largest riverside event complex and largest venue complex in a London skyscraper, Millbank Tower.
Key Issues Facing The Oceans
The three key issues facing the oceans today which Justin Etzin and the OOOF Foundation are raising awareness for are: plastic pollution, overfishing and marine habitat destruction.
Plastic Pollution
Right now an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic – everything from plastic bottles and bags to microbeads – end up in our oceans each year. That’s a truck load of rubbish a minute.
This pollution is having a dramatic impact on ocean wildlife, the environment, our well-being and ultimately our health.
Travelling on ocean currents this plastic is now turning up in every corner of our planet – from Cornish beaches, to uninhabited Pacific islands. It is even being found trapped in Arctic ice.
Our oceans are slowly turning into a plastic soup and the effects on ocean life are chilling. Big pieces of plastic are choking and entangling turtles and seabirds and tiny pieces are clogging the stomachs of creatures who mistake it for food, from tiny zooplankton to whales. Plastic is now entering every level of the ocean food chain and even ending up in the seafood on our plates.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The OOOF Foundation and Justin Etzin are calling on big corporations to act to reduce their plastic footprint – and stop producing excessive plastic packaging that is designed to be used once then thrown away.
We are also calling on governments to act to tackle this problem, by creating closed loop systems that allow us to recover and reuse materials rather than waste them.
It’s not too late – if we act together now we can protect the world’s precious oceans for future generations.
Overfishing
Of all the threats facing the oceans today, overfishing takes the greatest toll on sea life — and people.
Overfishing is catching too many fish at once, so the breeding population becomes too depleted to recover. Ninety per cent of the world’s fish stocks are described as either fully fished or over-exploited; some populations have collapsed altogether.
Many people who make a living catching, selling, and buying fish are working to improve how the world manages and conserves ocean resources. Work is being done with a cross-section of stakeholders to reform fisheries management globally, focusing on sustainable practices that not only conserve ecosystems, but also sustain livelihoods and ensure food security.
In fishing, money is a strong motivator that can incentivize people to improve practices and fund the management necessary to reduce fishing’s footprint on the natural world. But spending money in the wrong ways can also exacerbate the consequences of overfishing.
Marine Habitat Destruction
Most areas of the world’s oceans are experiencing habitat loss. But coastal areas, with their closeness to human population centers, have suffered disproportionately and mainly from manmade stresses. Habitat loss here has far-reaching impacts on the entire ocean’s biodiversity.
Damage or destruction of habitats kills the plants and animals responsible for the habitat’s ecological functions and, in some cases, its survival and regeneration. This pressure focuses on destruction of intertidal habitats and two types of subtidal habitats, soft bottom and hard bottom. These habitats include coral reefs, sea grasses and mangrove forests, but do not include sea ice, which is accounted for elsewhere.
Established in 1986, Leam Markham is a 235-acre community-managed mangrove forest and sea grass conservation zone in the Trang Province in Thailand. Years of collaboration between local conservationists, economists, scientists, grassroots activists, students and citizens have protected mangrove forests from logging, development and destruction for aquaculture, and seagrass beds from damage by trawling, dynamite fishing and pushnets. Leam Markham’s success has led to the introduction of an additional 10 community mangrove forests in the area, where inter-village committees are responsible for overseeing the sites and providing management for local resources.

Latest news for justin etzin
Justin Etzin, celebrates ten years as Seychelles Consul General
13 Apr 2019 – Justin Etzin, celebrated ten years as Seychelles Consul General & Ambassador of Tourisim to the United States. Living in New York, Etzin was …
Mansion originally owned by Macy's Straus family to be sold in auction
1 May 2019 – The divorce of Seychelles Consul General from Latvian model Lana Zakocela led to the decision to sell the estate.
‘I’m passionate about charity’ says Seychelles Consul-General to U.S. Justin Etzin
30 Jun 2014 – Now living in New York, Etzin was appointed as the Seychelles‘ Consul-General … A young man with a good cause to fight for (Justin Etzin Foundation, … a holistic wellness service to the Seychellois people, which Etzin says …
Justin Etzin traveled to the Seychelles for the Diplomatic Conference.
23rd March 2019 – Speaking at the bi-annual event, the Seychelles Diplomat addressed the President, Vice President, Ministers and Consul Generals from around the world on how the worldwide diplomatic Corps can respond more effectively with government and the private sector on matters concerning the environment.
Westchester mansion hits auction block
24 Apr 2019 – This Westchester mansion was supposed to be a dream home for Seychelles diplomat and Latvian model Lana Zakocela.
Justin Etzin's Westchester estate formerly owned by macy and hearst ...
North Castle, Apr 25, 2019 (Issuewire.com) – Seychelles Ambassador – 14,000 Sq. Ft., 7.9 Acre Estate to be Sold on June 13 with a $2.5 Million Minimum Bid.
Westchester Estate Formerly Owned by Macy and Hearst Families Hits the Auction Block
25 Apr 2019 – NEW YORK, April 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Paramount Realty USA, … owned by the Consul of the Republic of the Seychelles Justin Etzin.
The Seychelles to auction off estate at a discount after ...
4 May 2019 – The consul general and tourism ambassador of …
A fairy-tale union: guests treated to lavish four-day bash
5 Sep 2015 – Justin Etzin married long-time Latvian girlfriend Lana Zakocela in a four day bash in Florence, Italy on Saturday August 22. (Justin Etzin & Lana …