News from the Oceans
As part of our constant focus on work being done to heal our oceans we bring videos, news and ways to be involved.
THIS PAGE IS A RESOURCE FOR FILMS, SHORTS, & EVENTS WE HAVE FEATURED ON OUR HOME PAGE AND OUR OCEANS FILMS SERIES NIGHTS. ALSO THERE ARE LINKS TO ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN THE SUBJECT MATTERS COVERED IN THOSE VIDEOS. WE HOPE YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL IN REDUCING DANGEROUS NANO PLASTICS IN OUR OCEANS
LINKS TO VIDEOS SHOWN THIS NIGHT
Lord Howe Island – Garden of Eden between Australia and New Zealand
My Octopus Friend
Ocean Ramsey Encounters GIANT 20ft Great White Shark
THIS is Why ‘Ocean Ramsey’ is BAD for Sharks!
The Coral Triangle – A Moveable Feast | Full Documentary Episode 2
SHARK SAFETY TENETS
Material courtesy of Andy Murch, aka elasmodiver http://www.elasmodiver.com
AND https://www.bigfishexpeditions.com
“ Get to know the history of the area and species of shark you are likely to see.
“ Find out if baited shark dives are ever conducted in the area, as it could indicate the possibility of expectant sharks.
Make sure no one in the group is spear-fishing, especially if there is no divemaster, local guide, to tell them otherwise, as most guides would prohibit it. Injured and struggling fish naturally draw predation by sharks.
“ Likewise, never suddenly splash about for any reason, as that mimics an injured or sick fish sharks are drawn to consume.
“ Do not wear bright clothing, and remove any jewelry or bright shiny objects. This a general rule applying to scuba or free-diving, and especially true for a dive where you hope to see sharks.
“ No grabbing fins or manhandling sharks…. Of course the media shows other examples of touch, and the Ocean Ramsey click-bait and her IG posts hitting international news has drawn the ire of many scuba and marine professionals.
“ On a shark dive, do not float at the surface looking down, and of course do not spend time with your head above water without knowing what is beneath you or to the side. As you’ve prepared for your dive, descend directly once you’re in the water, to safely be on their level, or on the seabed (never touching or laying atop coral by the way) to observe them.
RMAC The most common occurrence of a shark showing potential aggression is when you’re in-between them and their food source, or you’ve managed to corner them, either of these being a very bad idea!
So in summary… become negatively buoyant as soon as you’re in the water and dive down to desired depth where you establish your neutral buoyancy, or down to seabed (depending on your depth choice) and Do not touch the coral!
You may find a barren spot on the sand, when choosing the seabed vs. being neutrally buoyant at a chosen depth in the water column, rule of thumb is to be at their level, never above it.
Material courtesy of Andy Murch, aka elasmodiver http://www.elasmodiver.com
AND https://www.bigfishexpeditions.com
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE ARTICLE FROM THE MARGINALIAN.ORG
Climate Change and Fishing and Farming on Martha’s Vineyard
VOICE ABOVE WATER is the story of a 90-year-old Balinese fisherman who can no longer fish because of the amount of plastic pollution in the ocean, instead he collects trash in hopes of being able to fish again. The story is a glimpse into how one human is using his resources to make a difference and a reminder that if we all play our part we can accomplish something much greater than ourselves.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A COMMENT
https://twitter.com/nature_org/status/1448819056782548992/photo/1
@nature_org
Please join Dr. Sylvia Earle and Mission Blue for a Blue Hope Conservation Roundtable presented in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) that will bring you under the waves of one of the most pristine and iconic marine ecosystems on the planet. Once the site of a World War II U.S. military base, this remote atoll is now a center of conservation science and a Mission Blue Hope Spot.
A panel of explorers and conservation scientists will not only share information and imagery to bring you to Palmyra, but also give a window into the important scientific collaboration being done in this area that can help us as we tackle major global issues such as climate change and coral reef die offs.
Panelists:
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue
Dr. Lizzie Mcleod, Global Reef Systems Lead at TNC
Chad Wiggins, Palmyra Hope Spot Champion and Palmyra Program Director at TNC
Bryce Groark, Palmyra Hope Spot Champion and Founder & Director at Living Ocean
Request for Alaska’s First Marine Sanctuary
Click image to see video
WORLD OCEAN DAY IS JUNE 8th
CLICK TO LEARN OF AMERICA’S HISTORIC ACTION
Sign the 30×30 petition:
https://worldoceanday.org/take-action/conservation-action-focus/
Click above for more information
CLICK TO SEE FULL 15 MINUTE FILM
Ocean Climate Action Capitol Hill Lobby Day, Wednesday, April 14, 2021 (Virtual via Zoom)
MORE INFO HERE
All hands on deck! Ocean advocates and anyone concerned about climate change is invited to join Ocean Climate Action (Virtual) Capitol Hill Lobby Day on Wednesday, April 14th, 2021. We will meet (via Zoom) in state, district, and territory delegations with U.S. Congress Members to advocate for ocean-based solutions to the climate crisis.
(Credit: Image credit Jim Toomey, creator of Sherman’s Lagoon )
Cape Cod lobstermen get free gear to protect
endangered right whales
Wild Women: Ocean Tales: 59 min
Breaking into the filmmaking industry is hard, let alone breaking into the underwater filmmaking world as a woman. Two wild women who did exactly that sat down for a live chat on Instagram: Gaelin Rosenwaks (@gaelingoexplore), Founder of Global Ocean Exploration Inc., and Inka Cresswell (@inkacresswell), Wildlife Filmmaker and Underwater Camera Operator. They discussed stories from the sea, their experience in the industry, and of course, sperm whales!
SHE IS THE OCEAN: 1 hr 38
An in-depth exploration into the lives of nine astonishing women from the four corners of the globe who share one thing in common: a profound love for the Sea. A love so profound that they have chosen to make the Ocean the center of their physical, philosophical and professional lives. https://sheistheocean.com/movies/11245?ref=
Producer Sandro Bocci takes an intimate and hypnotizing look at aquatic life through beautiful time-lapses at a magnified perspective. This up-close look brings you into the world of corals, sea stars, and other marine creatures that seem almost otherworldly.
Drones like the DJI Phantom series have significantly altered the whale watching industry.
CLICK here to see video of these remarkable Blanket Octopuses
See Deadlines for public Comment
CLICK TO FIND LINKS TO PUBLIC HEARING DEADLINE ON COMMENTS ON NEW PROTECTIONS OF MASS. WATERS
Whale sightings, like the one on Tuesday Dec. 8th, 2020, have become more common in New York City in recent years. The State Island Ferry is seen on the left-hand side of the above image. MORE HERE
It was a routine cleanup mission for the crew aboard Vessel Unit 4 when they spotted a floating patch of debris in the Pebuahan Ocean off the coast of Jembrana last Tuesday the 17th. As they taxied closer to recover the trash, the crew noticed something alarming: an animal was caught in the debris. Quickly realizing that the situation was life-and-death, the crew didn’t hesitate to spring into action and rescue the entangled dolphin.
From Sam Lowe!
Hawaiian Group Breaks World Record with Biggest Ocean Plastic Cleanup Ever Click on image to read about Ocean Voyages Institute!
The M.V. Island Discovery Team is working on ways to encourage a collaborative sustainability effort among islanders from around the world.
As part of the Virtual Island Summit, which saw hundreds of Island communities come together in an online think tank, the M.V. team shared their surprises, questions, and Vineyard-centered takeaways from the 10-day summit during a final insights session Tuesday, organized by Vineyard Futureworks.
READ MORE…
Sign a Petition to Protect the U.S. Atlantic’s Only Marine National Monument
Dr Marianne Goldberg had a dream to create a Ocean Sanctuary for Martha’s Vineyard.
Unfortunately for us all, her life was cut short before she could realize this dream. In her memory we could at least preserve what we have so close by.
The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is located 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. It is a biodiversity hotspot, teeming with ocean wildlife from endangered whales, seabirds, and sea turtles to rare thousand-year-old deep-sea corals.
It is the only marine monument in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, providing lasting protection from oil and gas drilling, commercial fishing, mining, and other destructive activities.
However, the Trump Administration is threatening to roll back these protections. Climate change already threatens our ocean ecosystem. The proposed rollbacks to the Monument would further endanger this special place.
We must preserve the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts to ensure a healthy ocean for generations to come.
The Trump Administration should leave existing protections in place for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
JANUARY 25th, 2020 we screened the film GALAPAGOS: REALM OF GIANT SHARKS, by the GALAPAGOS WHALE SHARK PROJECT.
Here is an update on the research we saw them performing in that film!
Click to get involved with 4Ocean
SCREENING OF “VAI” DID NOT HAPPEN 3/21/20.
Celebrating International Women’s Month – A Feature Film in our Ocean Film Series
1:30 minutes VAI is a portmanteau feature film made by eight female Pacific filmmakers, filmed in as many different Pacific countries: Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Kuki Airani (Cook Islands), Samoa, Niue and Aotearoa (New Zealand). It is about the journey of Vai, played by a different indigenous actress in each of the Pacific countries. In each of these Pacific nations ‘vai’ means water.
Review excerpts from Dennis Harvey, San Francisco, May 11, 2019:
Most portmanteau features are potluck. But “Vai” has a lovely consistency of style and content that heightens the accessibility of its unique value as a combined effort among eight native female directors from eight different Pacific Island cultures. The task of each writer-helmer was to create a 10-minute vignette from a fictive woman’s life, each segment advancing a decade or so forward, deploying a single continuous shot where possible.
“Vai” doesn’t really pretend to be the story of a single character — in fact, the leading figures in these segments often have names that are variations on “Vai.” But taken together, they form a sort of composite of female experience in cultures where family separation for the sake of work or education has often been the norm, and the cultures themselves are in constant danger of being assimilated out of existence.
“From its conception through to production and now it’s NZ Premiere, ‘Vai’ aligns with the Māorilands Film Festival kaupapa which is to celebrate Indigenous creativity and storytelling in film. We are incredibly proud to have ‘Vai’ open this important and exciting film festival.”
Directors: Nicole Whippy (Fiji), ‘Ofa-Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki (Tonga), Matasila Freshwater (Solomon Islands), Amberley Jo Aumua (NZ Samoa), Mīria George (Cook Islands), Marina Alofagia McCartney (Samoa), Dianna Fuemana (Niue), Becs Arahanga (Aotearoa)
Language: Fijian, Tongan, Roviana (Solomon Islands) Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, Niuean, English and Māori
Synopsis of VAI on each island:
Fiji: In Nicole Whippy’s opening section, co-written with her sister Sharon, a 7-year-old Vai (Mereani Tuimatanisiga) resists having to leave Fiji with her pregnant mother, leaving a doting grandmother and all other relatives behind.
Tonga: Vai, now 13, dreams of going to NZ to sing but her day-to-day chore of filling up water bottles from the neighbourhood water tanks makes her feel as though she will never leave Tonga.
Solomon Islands: While fishing from a small canoe off the coast of the Solomon Islands, 16 year old Vae argues with her mother about the correct way to bait the fishing hook.
New Zealand Born Samoan: Having worked hard to get into university, 21 year old Vai is now a top student, and one of only two pacific islanders in her class but with her attendance waning due to pressures at home, she finds it difficult to get support from her tutor and struggles to find her voice in a system that isn’t built for her.
Kuki Airani (Cook Islands): Amidst apathy, fear and the trappings of colonialism Vai makes a stand for change on her island of Rarotonga, finding her voice as an activist.
Samoa: In her 40s now, Vai returns to Samoa to perform for an important event but, having been away for many years, Vai struggles with her connection to the performance.
Niue: Vai, now 64, tries to convince her granddaughter, Moana, that leaving the island of Niue will give her an equal start in life.
Aotearoa: An elderly Vai, 80 years old, gathers with her whānau (family) by the river’s edge to perform a naming ceremony for her great granddaughter, Vai.
Fed and state agencies team up to save right whales
Emily Clark
PLYMOUTH – More needs to be done, so federal and state agencies are mobilizing.
While nine North Atlantic right whales have been born so far this year, at least 30 of these critically endangered mammals have died in the last three years due mostly to ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear.
The Division of Marine fisheries issued a Large Whale Seasonal Trap Gear Closure recently that will run through April 30 to protect local populations from entanglements. Now, state and federal agencies are exploring further measures to protect right whales that teeter on the brink of extinction, with approximately 400 left in the world.
Half that population was tracked migrating into Cape Cod Bay last year, hence the fishing gear and traffic restrictions.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation North America Executive Director Regina Asmutis-Silvia said Massachusetts fishermen have been the most proactive in testing modified fishing gear to protect right whales. Their concern for the survival of right whales is a credit to them, she added.
“They are the only ones who have taken that initiative,” she said.
Experts say global warming is likely to blame for right whales migrating to Massachusetts waters for longer stretches of time to feed on phytoplankton, which isn’t just critical to sustaining whales. Whale excrement fertilizes and sustains phytoplankton that generates half the earth’s oxygen. Last year, researchers identified 265 right whales in Cape Cod Bay from December of 2018 to May of 2019.
Asmutis-Silvia noted that of the nine right whales just born, one has already been injured.
“One of the calves was seriously injured by a vessel strike, antibiotics were administered, but mom and calf have not been resighted since,” she said.
With human activity poised to wipe out the species, The Division of Marine Fisheries has scheduled two scoping meetings to discuss the state’s response to anticipated changes to the federal Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, Asmutis-Silvia added.
In response to recent population trends, NOAA Fisheries’ Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, or TRT, has been working to amend the NOAA Fisheries’ Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, or ALWTRP, to reduce mortalities due to trap fishing gear. Buoys that release lines only when traps are being taken are a possible way to significantly reduce entanglements. The NOAA team involved in this research and analysis has come up with a way to reduce these entanglements by as much as 60 percent with the possible use of this new gear.
The Division of Marine Fisheries will hold two meetings to discuss anticipated changes to the ALWTRT, on Feb. 18 and 19.
“The purpose of this meeting will be to review NOAA Fisheries analyses regarding how the state can achieve this federally-imposed risk reduction target,” Asmutis-Silvia said. “Comments received will help DMF engage on federal rule making moving forward.”
https://sharon.wickedlocal.com/news/20200210/fed-and-state-agencies-team-up-to-save-right-whales
Tell the Senate to support the SAVE RIGHT WHALES ACT
OUR SHORTS ON REBUILDING THE KELP FOREST
OCTOPUS ENCOUNTERS & SUPER SEA SLUGS
AS WELL AS OUR FEATURE; SONG OF THE SPERM WHALE
CAN BE WATCHED BY SUBSCRIPTION HERE
https://curiositystream.com/
FILMS AND INFO SHARED ON Jan. 25th, 2020
OCEAN RESURRECTION
Experts from Oceana, NOAA and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership describe how chronic over fishing has damaged ecosystems and threatens the entire food chain. But this crisis is solvable. Well-managed ocean fisheries hold out the promise of limitless seafood — and a home for all sea life
https://curiositystream.com/video/798/ocean-resurrection
SECRET UNDERWATER PLANET
Take a journey with famed underwater photographer Peter Kragh, as he explores the coast of California, and reveals some of the most spectacular life found under the sea.
https://curiositystream.com/video/3226/secret-underwater-planet
Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks See it Here
