Marine Life & Conservation
Film Review: Seaspiracy
Seaspiracy is a new documentary on Netflix that delves into the murky waters of the fishing industry. I think, to start off, I should declare that I have not eaten fish/seafood for over 35 years now. I have never understood how divers can surface from an amazing dive, chatting about the wonderful marine life they have just seen, and then order fish for lunch. So, I openly declare that I am biased and I was eagerly awaiting this documentary.
The style of the documentary was not to my taste, but it was gripping nonetheless. The camera follows Ali Tabrizi who is on a quest, initially, to discover the causes of plastic pollution in the ocean and the story follows him all around the world as he discovers revelation after revelation about the fishing industry. No matter how much you think you know about marine conservation, there will be something in this film that shocks you. Watching Professor Callum Roberts, a biologist I respect and trust, state that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill actually benefited the local marine life, as the fishing fleet had to stay away due to the oil pollution, blew my mind.
The exposure of some of the dolphin friendly and sustainable fish labeling to be unregulated, profit making exercises, funded by the fishing industry, rather than something that actually works to protect marine life was eye-opening. The human suffering industrial fishing caused, including slavery and links to the African Ebola epidemic, was depressing. Add to that the dolphins, whales, sharks and more being killed as bycatch, the ghost nets, the destruction of reefs, the climate change impact, the pollution caused by fish farms and the suffering of the fish themselves, and this documentary is a damning indictment of an industry that is still being subsided by governments all over the world.
Seaspiracy is greatly enhanced by those interviewed in the film including Dr Sylvia Earle, George Monbiot and Prof. Callum Roberts to name but a few. It could have been more balanced with comment from the other side of the fence, and it could have looked at issues in more depth, but in the end the stark facts brought to the viewers attention are important and any film that gets these dark secrets out to a big audience has to be a good thing.
Bottom line – if you care about the ocean you should watch this film. It is full of vital facts about the fishing industry that are rarely brought to light. I can only hope that it will make people think about their consumption of seafood and what it is doing to our ocean.
For more information visit the Seaspiracy website by clicking here.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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