An Ocean Mystery: The Missing Catch

Watch An Ocean Mystery: The Missing Catch from Living Oceans Foundation on Vimeo.

Around the world millions of people depend on fish, but what if we’re running out? As government and industry regulators track the quantity of fish we catch, and claim the oceans can handle the huge catches, fish numbers keep dropping.

World-renowned fisheries expert, Dr. Daniel Pauly, suspects that we are dangerously overfishing the world’s fish supply. He believes that bad data masks how close we are to running out of fish, to prove it he and his team have conducted the most ambitious fishing investigation the world has ever seen.

How much fish have we caught?

His goal – to find out once and for all how much fish we have removed from the ocean since industrial fishing began. This requires calculating the amount of fish caught through illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries (together these are labeled as IUU fisheries). Fish caught in one of these ways is usually overlooked and they are virtually never counted.

“We need to know how many fish have been taken from the ocean in order to figure out what we can catch in the future.” – Dr. Daniel Pauly

Big data

It’s a big-data problem on a massive scale, and it has taken about fifteen years to calculate the true fish catch for each country in the world.

However, there is some hope that we could get accurate fishing data in real-time. A pilot study underway in Honduras may make it possible to collect this kind of data as we go, and would allow even the most remote fishermen to send information about how much fish they catch, to their national government.

Discover a large ocean data project on the state of the world’s reefs by exploring the Global Reef Expedition.

Solutions

The hope is that the new research included in this film will be incorporated into national catch estimates in every country so that fisheries managers can manage their resource sustainably for the future. Known for his work on shifting baselines and small-scale fisheries, this film will discover if Dr. Pauly’s Sea Around Us Project could lead to the greatest shake-up ever of world fisheries.

Coral Reefs: Trouble in Paradise

Coral Reefs: Trouble in Paradise tells the story of an international scientific team in the Chagos Archipelago, a tropical paradise in the British Indian Ocean Territory with some of the healthiest coral reefs on the planet. Initially, the scientists are thrilled with the beauty and abundance of the reefs, which support many thousands of fish and other sea creatures. But in the space of a few weeks they become surprised witnesses to a serious case of bleaching in the reefs — evidence that even the most isolated places are not safe from the ravages of climate change. Their study of these reefs, however, does give some reason for hope, and leaves the scientists with a clear sense of what may be necessary to save the world’s coral reefs.

Awards

• Finalist, Marine Science, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2016
• Finalist, Education and Non-Broadcast, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2016
• Silver Davey Award, Not-for-Profit Film, 2016

Mapping the Blue

In 2012, the Cook Islands announced a Mega Marine Park, what was, at the time, the biggest marine park on Earth. This is one of the most awesome places on the planet, and local people, traditional leaders, and the fishermen of the magnificent Cook Islands are determined that it should remain so.

In stunning high definition, Mapping the Blue tells the story of how Rugby League star, Kevin Iro, turned conservationist and founded the world’s largest sanctuary where he used to play as a boy. By using high tech GIS mapping, Iro and his team are able to show the best uses for areas within this pristine ocean park, which is good for conservation and the needs of local people.

This film is a must-see for all those interested in the health of our oceans… from marine biologists to recreational scuba divers. It points to a model of how such precious areas can be preserved all over the world and provides hope for the future.

Awards

• Grand Remi Award, WorldFest International Film Festival, Best Film & Video, 2015
• Winner, Conservation Innovation and Solutions, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2014
• Finalist, Marine Sciences, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2014
• Winner,  Davey Award, 2014
• Selected for Screening at American Conservation Film Festival, 2014
• Selected for Screening at Waimea Ocean Film Festival, 2016

Sharks of the Coral Canyon

Sharks of the Coral Canyon tells the story of how sharks and coral reefs are intricately linked. It follows one of the largest marine science studies in history as researchers work to uncover the inner workings of pristine coral reefs, including the predators. The film tracks scientists as they venture into ferocious ocean currents to reveal first time ever footage of sharks hunting at night, as well as brand new shark hunting behavior. The film witnesses a rare natural spectacle involving thousands of large fish trying to lay their eggs and simultaneously survive a shark onslaught. The film uncovers how two of the most threatened groups of animals in the ocean, corals and sharks, depend on one another, and must be protected together if either of them is to survive into the future.

The film is now airing under the title Mysteries of the Coral Canyon on PBS, check your local station for listings.

Awards

• Winner, Suncoast Emmy® Award, Best Environment-Program, 2015
• Finalist, Best Exploration and Adventure, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2014
• Finalist, Best Marine Life Film, Blue Ocean Film Festival, 2014
• Winner, Davey Award, 2014
• Selected for Screening at Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, New York 2014
• Winner REMI, Worldfest, Houston, 2014
• Screened at Blue Bahr film festival in Beirut, Oct 2015

Sharks of the Coral Canyon Hangout

Want to learn more about Sharks? Watch our Google Hangout, Shark Byte! The feeding strategies of reef sharks, featuring shark scientist Dr. William Robbins, the star of Sharks of the Coral Canyon.

Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) Crisis

They may look like just another starfish, but crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are one of the biggest threats to coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Armed with venomous spines and dozens of arms, a single COTS can devour its own body area in coral every night. During outbreaks, thousands sweep across reefs, leaving behind lifeless, gray graveyards.

Why are their populations exploding? Overfishing of natural predators, nutrient runoff, and changes in ocean conditions all play a role. But there’s hope—healthy ecosystems, clean water, and active management can help coral reefs recover.

Join the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation on the frontlines of a COTS outbreak, and see what scientists are doing to give reefs a fighting chance.

Reefs on the Road: Tonga

Join Amy Heemsoth, Education Director at the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, as she travels to Tonga to bring coral reef science into local classrooms. With little more than a generator, projector, and a passion for teaching, Amy visited 18 schools across the islands—helping students understand why reefs matter, how they’re threatened, and what they can do to protect them.

For communities that rely on coral reefs for food and livelihoods, this knowledge is critical. By connecting science with education, the Foundation is empowering the next generation of ocean stewards.

Inside the Mangrove Classroom

Mangroves are in peril all over the world. It’s estimated that almost half of the mangroves have disappeared, primarily due to human destruction. To combat this, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has created Mangrove Education & Restoration programs to increase environmental awareness and restore mangrove forests. Currently, the programs are implemented in high school classrooms in The Bahamas and Jamaica.

360° Solomon

This film tells the story of a team of scientists as they set sail on the world’s largest coral reef expedition to find out what’s happening to the world’s coral reefs. Using a custom camera system, they take stunning 360-degree imagery of the reefs of Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands—the largest saltwater lagoon on the planet—gathering ground-breaking images to reveal the reefs as never seen before. It’s all part of an ongoing research project to measure coral reef habitat health and diversity across the tropics and understand how reefs are changing due to human pressures.