Bill Ballantine (biologist)

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}

{{Short description|New Zealand marine biologist and conversationist}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2015}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Bill Ballantine

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSO|MBE|size=100%}}

| birth_name = William James Ballantine

| image = Bill Ballantine (Goldman Environmental Prize).jpg

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|04|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Leicester, Leicestershire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and given age|2015|11|01|78|df=y}}

| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand

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| fields = Marine biology

| workplaces = Leigh Marine Laboratory

| alma_mater = Queen Mary College, London

| thesis_title = The population dynamics of Patella vulgata and other limpets

| thesis_url = https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1459/BALLANTINEPopulationDynamics1961.pdf?sequence=1

| thesis_year = 1961

| doctoral_advisors = James Eric Smith
John Morton

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| awards = {{nowrap|Goldman Environmental Prize (1996)}}

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}}

William James Ballantine {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSO|MBE|size=85%}} (15 April 1937 – 1 November 2015) was a British-born New Zealand marine biologist. He has been called the "father of marine conservation in New Zealand".

Biography

Born in Leicester, England, on 15 April 1937,{{citation needed|date=August 2016}} Ballantine was awarded an MA from Downing College, Cambridge and a PhD from Queen Mary College, University of London. His thesis was entitled The population dynamics of Patella vulgata and other limpets.{{cite web |url=http://qmul.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?bookMark=ePnHCXMw42JgAfZbUzkZbID-VCiA30KlkAK5Yb1YIT9NISARtEUiUaGsNCc9sSRRAdhpVgBvOFLIyQS1Fou5GUzdXEOcPXQLc0tz4lOAmSs5NR50EnJhblF-PFgwMTm-NDseWPACmwDmFpbANqwpaPaYPH0AKLM9Hw |title=Library catalogue search |date= |website= |publisher=Queen Mary University of London |accessdate=2 November 2015}} He emigrated to New Zealand in 1964 when he was appointed the inaugural director of the University of Auckland's Leigh Marine Laboratory.{{cite web |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/04/new-zealand-coast/warne-text |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627150321/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/04/new-zealand-coast/warne-text |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 June 2008 |title=Blue haven: New Zealand marine reserves are a model for the world |date=April 2007 |website= |publisher=National Geographic Magazine |accessdate=2 November 2015}} The Marine Reserves Act 1971 was the brainchild of Ballantine, and he initiated a "no take" marine reserve at Leigh. Both of these initiatives were one of the first to be initiated in the world.{{cite web |title=Bill Ballantine |url=http://www.marine-reserves.org.nz/pages/ballantine.html |publisher=Marine-reserves.org.nz |accessdate=4 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122043424/http://marine-reserves.org.nz/pages/ballantine.html |archivedate=22 January 2016 |df=dmy-all }} Minister of Conservation Nick Smith described him as the "father of marine conservation in New Zealand''.{{cite news |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1511/S00022/minister-saddened-at-passing-of-dr-bill-ballantine.htm |title= Minister saddened at passing of Dr Bill Ballantine |date=2 November 2015 |work=Scoop Independent News |accessdate=2 November 2015}}

Ballantine died at Auckland City Hospital on 1 November 2015; his wife Dulcie had predeceased him.{{cite web |title=Dr Bill Ballantine |url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=bill-ballantine&pid=176318779&fhid=12580 |work=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=4 November 2015}}

Honours and awards

In 1990 Ballantine was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |authorlink1=Alister Taylor |authorlink2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=978-0-908578-34-4 |page=54}} In the 1994 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to marine biology and conservation.{{London Gazette |issue=53528 |date=31 December 1993 |page=34 |supp=2}} He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1996, for his work on marine conservation and with New Zealand's Marine Reserve Act.{{cite web |url=http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/82 |title=Islands & Island Nations 1996. Bill Ballantine. New Zealand. Marine Conservation |publisher=Goldman Environmental Prize |accessdate=9 January 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123030653/http://goldmanprize.org/node/82 |archivedate=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead }} In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ballantine was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for public services.{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2006 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2006 |date=5 June 2006 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=16 December 2012}}

References