Tagging Whales in Stellwagen Bank this July!

Humpback in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Photo by Elliot Hazen

Do you remember the first story in Ocean Frontiers—Saving Whales at Stellwagen Bank? Not sure anyone could forget the amazing whale footage and the funny little suction cup things called DTAGs that the scientists were sticking onto the whales. But in case you did, you can always watch the clip from that story here. We are also excited to give an update on how the whale-tagging is going this summer.

Marine ecologist, Ari Friedlaender, attaches a DTAG on a humpback. Photo by Alison Stimpert

Dave Wiley, research coordinator for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts, might have one of the coolest jobs ever. Since 2002, each summer, Dr. Wiley and his colleagues head out on a 187-foot research vessel to tag whales—to collect data, such as how whales move around, what their feeding patterns are, what they do at different depths and when they vocalize. Watch them in action here in a short 3-minute video.

Humpback breaches near research team. Photo by Ari Friedlaender

In those two weeks this summer, Dr. Wiley and his crew successfully tagged 21 humpback whales and identified around 160 individuals. Dr. Wiley proclaims, “We probably have one of the largest databases for fine-scale foraging behavior of anywhere in the world at this point.” Wiley added however, “The most striking insight is that each humpback has its own set of behaviors, often confounding efforts to generalize about the species. It’s frustrating and complicated and fascinating all at the same time.”

Ultimately, Dr. Wiley and his colleagues’ goal is to use the collected data to influence fishing and shipping rules that make sense for the whales and will help protect them. Read more about this summer’s tagging here in the New York Times.  

Best regards from all of us on the Ocean Frontiers team!
Karen Anspacher-Meyer
Executive Director, Green Fire Productions

 

 

East Coast Tour, a Success

People filled the New England Aquarium IMAX Theatre for the
East Coast Premiere of Ocean Frontiers

April is a busy month for the Ocean Frontiers film—from three East Coast premieres back-to-back during the first week of this month to the several West Coast premieres set for next week—we are delighted to share the film with so many communities across the nation.

Ocean Frontiers features exciting, success stories from the frontiers of ocean conservation, and we are finding folks are hungry to hear them. We are often faced with environmental challenges, yet are not presented with the tools to move forward. Ocean Frontiers brings to light the need for smart, collaborative ocean planning, and clearly conveys the solutions to a plethora of ocean and coastal issues that planning can provide.

We kicked off the East Coast tour on April 3rd at the New England Aquarium—a beautiful setting overlooking Boston Harbor. This Boston Premiere was held in conjunction with the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s 20th Anniversary. Stellwagen Bank is a home to the endangered North Atlantic right whale, of which there are only an estimated 350-550 left in the world. This free celebration packed the IMAX Theatre with over 350 individuals who care deeply their ocean. Thanks to the New England Aquarium, Massport, Conservation Law Foundation and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for co-hosting!

The very next morning we attended the release of an exciting new, free iPhone/iPad Application called WhaleALERT. This application is designed to help protect the North Atlantic right whale. WhaleALERT came to life out of an early partnership of “unlikely allies” who teamed up in 2007 to reduce the rate of whale strikes by ships. This partnership resulted in the first port in the nation to move shipping lanes to protect marine mammals. This story of the moving of Boston’s shipping lanes is featured in Ocean Frontiers—view the video clip here—so, we were especially excited to be a part of the unveiling of the WhaleALERT application—another step in protecting the these magnificent creatures and the ocean we all depend upon.

That same evening, US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island—an ocean champion—kicked off the Rhode Island premiere of Ocean Frontiers at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography Bay Campus. The entire Rhode Island congressional delegation were honorary co-hosts along with 15 conservation organizations, businesses and academic institutions. Following the film, a lively panel discussion ensued between the attentive Narragansett audience and ocean experts about Rhode Island’s successes and lessons learned while creating Rhode Island’s Ocean Plan (SAMP) and how this can help with regional ocean planning in New England.

The following day, Thursday, April 5, we closed our East Coast tour with a successful premiere in New Jersey at the beautiful Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute. Students, professors, renewable ocean energy proponents, fishermen, conservationists, and the community joined together to watch the film and take part in another lively panel discussion—sharing trials, tribulations and their hopes and plans—to protect and manage the very shore and sea that New Jersey people rely on and adore so much. Thanks to Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, Atlantic Wind Connection, Viking Village and Clean Ocean Action for co-hosting!

Would you like to see more partnerships and smart planning taking place in our ocean and coastal communities to ensure the protection of our vital ocean resources for economies today and generations tomorrow? Please consider writing a letter to your members of Congress today!

Check out photos from the Ocean Frontiers East Coast Tour.

Thanks for all you do!
The Green Fire Productions Team

Fisherman to Fisherman Connections

Karen Meyer, producer of Ocean Frontiers and Leesa Cobb, Port Orford Ocean Resource Team with Leah & Phil Gould, Florida Keys Marine Life on their fishing boat.

Leesa Cobb of Port Orford Travels to the Florida Keys with the Filmmakers to Meet with Fishermen to Research Sustainable Fishing Businesses

After an invigorating two days of Ocean Frontiers events in California at the Aquarium of the Pacific, next week we are off to three Ocean Frontiers film premieres on the East Coast — Boston, Rhode Island and New Jersey.

Last weekend, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary hosted a special Ocean Frontiers premiere event in Key West.  Billy Causey, who you will remember from the film as the charismatic leader who brought sport fishermen, divers, commercial fishermen, and the public together around protecting the coral reefs in the Keys to ensure shared and sustainable use of the natural resources,  kicked off the premiere, thanking Green Fire for producing a “timely and important film.”

It was a terrific audience of natural resource managers, sport and commercial fisherman, charter boat captains, tropical fish collectors and media who watched the film and then discussed their next challenge: revising the marine zones set in place more than a decade ago. The focus was on how everyone in the audience can reach out to their networks to engage people in this next step in managing the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Intrigued by what she saw in Ocean Frontiers about the Florida Keys, Leesa Cobb, director of the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team, joined us for the trip to meet with a number of fishermen and learn first hand how it is to run a fishing business within a National Marine Sanctuary. Every fisherman we spoke with, without exception, assured Leesa that the Sanctuary benefits their businesses. Here’s a few photos from the Ocean Frontiers Florida Keys trip.

“The Sanctuary protects the marine habitat that produces our fisheries and our income,” relayed Jeff Cramer, a stone crab and lobster fisherman of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. “At the beginning we looked at the Sanctuary as a scary thing. Some people sold their boats, thinking it was the end of fishing. But today fishing is the second largest driver of the Keys economy, second only to tourism.”

Steve Leopold, Florida Keys charterboat Captain of 21 years, said, “The Sanctuary Advisory Council is the key. It provides a forum for everyone to provide input, we listen to each other, our advice is incorporated into management decisions, and we develop relationships that are built on trust. As environmental changes arise in our waters, we will be able to address them head on.”

Leah Gould, Florida Keys Marine Life, who supplies the aquarium market with tropical fish and marine life, showed us her operation and took us out on a collection dive. Leah shared, “By including all of the ‘user groups’ at the table you get much better decisions about protecting the resources that we depend on for business. There are always going to be arguments but if everyone is at the table and able to discuss and decide together, we’ll come up with sustainable solutions that benefit everyone.”

Leesa Cobb left with a strong positive impression about the National Marine Sanctuary. “These were some pretty astonishing testimonies that I heard here. I expected to hear pros and cons about living and working within a Sanctuary, but all I heard was how positive and beneficial the Sanctuary is for people who make their living on the water.”

Thanks to the Keys fishermen who took time out of their busy days to meet with us. And special thanks to Leah and Phil for the wonderful day on the water and dinner of stone crab and lobster!

Karen Meyer
Executive Director, Green Fire Productions

 

Ocean Frontiers World Premiere a Big Success

From left: Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, filmmaker Karen Meyer and First Lady Cylvia Hayes in Port Orford, Oregon, for Ocean Frontiers premiere.

 

Whether you were in Port Orford for the world premiere of Ocean Frontiers or not, you can now watch the 6-minute video with highlights from the entire weekend. Hear remarks from Oregon Governor Kitzhaber and First Lady Hayes  about ocean stewardship and their kickoff for Ocean Frontiers. Click on the image to watch the video.

Join us this Wednesday, March 7th at 7pm for the Portland, Oregon, Ocean Frontiers premiere at the Hollywood Theatre. Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes will attend and speak about her passion for the ocean and her work on ocean health. Tickets can be purchased here.

Premieres are set for Los Angeles, Boston, Rhode Island, New Jersey and elsewhere across the country, check here for the most up-to-date schedule.

We encourage you to share Ocean Frontiers with others who may want to host an event, and we’ve made it easy for anyone to do this – just complete the Host a Screening form and we’ll get you started!

You can help build support for ocean stewardship by writing your members of Congress and letting them know you support the collaborative, science-based efforts featured in Ocean Frontiers. Write your letter today.

Thanks for all you do!

Karen Meyer
Executive Director, Green Fire Productions

 

 

Ocean Frontiers Kicks Off National Tour & Guests Governor Kitzhaber & First Lady Cylvia Hayes Join the Celebration

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and First Lady Cylvia Hayes join Leesa Cobb, executive director of Port Orford Ocean Resource Team, on boat tour of Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve (seen in background) on February 12, 2012

On February 11, 2012, the Savoy Theatre in Port Orford, Oregon, the western most point in the continental United States, was filled to capacity when Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes took the stage to declare, “I’m proud to be an Oregonian.” Hayes went on to say, “It doesn’t surprise me at all that Oregon is one of the states featured in this film, because we have an incredible story to tell.”

Sitting in the front rows were Governor Kitzhaber and First Lady Hayes, Mayor Jim Auborn and County Commissioner David Itzen. State Representative Wayne Krieger (R-Gold Beach), Co-Speaker Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) and Senator Kruse (R-Roseburg) took a break from the legislative session—traveling four hours from the state capitol to attend this important event.

“Ocean Frontiers” is a documentary that tells the story of people across the country working together to sustain their coastal communities that depend on healthy oceans. Port Orford and the work of the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team is one of the four stories.

As the film came to a close, the audience leaped to its feet giving filmmakers Karen and Ralf Meyer an enthusiastic standing ovation.

While in Port Orford the Governor and First Lady toured the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team’s Marine Science Facility, which is currently under construction. Looking out at one of the most picturesque stretches of the Pacific coast, they learned of the community’s work to keep Port Orford fishing sustainably.

At dawn the next day the Governor and First Lady climbed aboard the fishing vessel Top Gun with Captain Jeff Miles to tour the newly designated Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve.

Jeff Miles, a Port Orford fisherman with thirty-five years of experience said, “We feel very honored that the Governor and First Lady came to Port Orford to learn about what people are doing here. I read people very well, and it was clear that they have a genuine interest about the future of Oregon’s fishing industry.”

Lyle Keeler, a Port Orford fisherman of forty years, said, “I was most impressed that on a cold, stormy February day the Governor and First Lady ventured out with us on a small fishing boat to learn about the science taking place in our new Redfish Rocks marine reserve.”

After the film, the reception at the American Legion Hall featured Port Orford Sustainable Seafood and was packed with Port Orford residents who expressed their unanimous pride in the accomplishments of their local organizations and community.

“This was an amazing event which brought our community together with our elected leaders and natural resource agencies to bring the conversation about ocean health, conservation and ocean literacy to the next level,” said Kelly Sparks, Project Coordinator with the Redfish Rocks Community Team.

Representative Krieger said, “On their own, this community offered up a marine reserve that came to be known as Redfish Rocks. I was of the opinion, and I still am, that the greatest value of marine reserves is the ability to do research, to learn and better understand what actually is happening in the ocean itself. I think that’s very do-able.”

Representative Krieger added, “One thing we haven’t done a good job with is putting money into marine research in this state. Oregon must continue funding marine research if we want to move ahead in the ocean.”

The other three segments of “Ocean Frontiers”—Massachusetts Bay, Florida Keys, Iowa/Gulf of Mexico—tell the story of people from different arenas coming together to find solutions that benefit their economic interests as well as the environment. They recognize that a healthy ocean and coastal ecosystem is the basis for their economic well-being.

Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes said, “‘Ocean Frontiers’ presents a starting point to help ensure that these kinds of success stories are told and better understood. We need to illustrate that communities are taking steps to invest in their own economic futures and in the conservation of our shared natural resources. Not only can this garner additional support for these incredible grassroots efforts, but hopefully it will inspire communities across the state and beyond.”

“Ocean Frontiers” will next premiere in Newport, Oregon on February 22nd, in Portland, Oregon on March 7th and will continue to tour the nation. Karen Meyer, producer of “Ocean Frontiers” said, “During the production of ‘Ocean Frontiers’ the United States adopted its first-ever National Ocean Policy. This policy encourages exactly the types of successful projects featured in ‘Ocean Frontiers’ and supports state leadership regarding ocean health.”

Governor Kitzhaber repeated this theme in his address to the crowd at the “Ocean Frontiers” premiere and said, “We all know that the challenges facing coastal communities are not going to be resolved by one or two initiatives, it’s going to take a long, thoughtful approach that brings together good science, strong leadership and a commitment to conserving resources while promoting economic prosperity for all. Now, that may sound like a tall order but I am sure America can do it. What you have done here in Port Orford is truly remarkable and is worth repeating across our state and across the nation.”