Category Archives: Latest News

Latest News about earthOCEAN.

Vaquita Footage Released

by

earthOCEAN Media is releasing video footage and photographs of the rare and endangered Vaquita porpoise to educate the general publicabout its plight. You may share, post, and use media for educational and non-commercial purposes. Download high definition video footage, or share a video narrated by scientist Tom Jefferson that you can post on your blog or website

Background -

On October 19, 2008 documentary filmmaker and photographer Chris Johnson captured rare video footage of the Vaquita porpoise. From October-November 2008, he was documenting “Expedition Vaquita” in the northern Gulf of California Mexico, a multi-national scientifitic survey led by the Instituto Nacional de Ecologia in Ensenada (INE) and NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California.

The online documentary project was funded by a grant from The Ocean Foundation in Washington, DC. WHALE TRACKERS is a series of documentary programs that journey across the world’s oceans to explore the lives of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Website – www.whaletrackers.com

From these online reports, our aim is to produce a 50 documentary film entitled “The Search for the Desert Porpoise“. This will be available in english and spanish in 2009. For more information, contact us

How to Download -

  1. Register on the WHALE TRACKERS website here 
  2. Log into the Whale Trackers website
  3. To access photos and video, go to this page - http://www.whaletrackers.com/vaquita-media/

If you are interested in using the footage for commercial media or broadcast, contact us. We are making this media available to press for “one-time use” for free.

Drop us a note to let us know how you are using it!

For more information contact:
Chris Johnson – Filmmaker – earthOCEAN media.
Email
Phone – +61-449-188-770 (Australia)

By downloading any files on this page, you agree to the “Terms of Use”:

  • All video and photographs are © 2008 Chris Johnson – earthOCEAN  (All Rights Reserved).  When displaying the photo please list the credit on or below the image, for video footage, please overlay the credit as “Chris Johnson – earthOCEAN”
  • You will link back to the website – www.whaletrackers.com
  • All media © Chris Johnson will not be re-distributed or resold to third-party vendors for commercial media.
  • If commercial media is interested in using the media - contact us for more details.  We will release the video and photographs of vaquita for “one-time” use to commercial media for free upon signing a standard release form.
  • List the following text, as outlined in our filming permits, in the end credits of a video, or on a webpage -
    • Photos and video taken under permit (Oficio No. DR/847/08  ) from the Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP/Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), within a natural protected area subject to special management and decreed as such by the Mexican Government. This work was made possible thanks to the collaboration and support of the Coordinador de Investigación y Conservación de Mamíferos Marinos at the Instiuto Nacional de Ecología (INE).

IUCN World Conservation Congress

by

The documentary series Whales of the Mediterranean Sea will be shown at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Wednesday October 8, 2008 at 4:10pm.

It is showing as part of Conservation Cinema and will be English with Spanish subtitles. Erich Hoyt, reknowned author and Senior Research Fellow and Global MPA Programme Leader from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) will introduce the films. His work on Marine Protected Areas are also featured in the documentaries.
whalesmed poster iucn IUCN World Conservation Congress
The IUCN World Conservation Congress is a meeting of more than 8,000 of the world’s leading decision makers in sustainable development: from governments, NGOs, business, the United Nations and academia. Delegates will be together in one place for 10 days to debate, share, network, learn, commit, vote and decide how we can best safeguard the diversity of life on Earth.

As a documentary series selected for showing, Whales of the Mediterranean Sea provides a glimpse into work on conservation and science from Tethys Research Institute, Alnitak, Pelagos Institute, Delphis MDC and WWF, along with the dramatic efforts of Oceana. Oceana is almost single handedly combating the biggest marine conservation problem in the Mediterranean – the persistent use of illegal driftnets, a practice so destructive, it indiscriminately kills all forms of marine life, including whales and dolphins.

The emphasis of the Congress will be on making real change happen from local to global levels, across all sectors and domains, with young and old, men and women, in cities and rural areas, and from all cultural perspectives, to shape sustainable solutions for our future.

The ‘Whales of the Mediterranean Sea’ project was produced for a mainstream audience, with the intention of raising awareness, addressing challenges, creating opportunities and offering potential solutions to the problems facing this semi-enclosed sea in one of the most populous regions in the world.

Whales of the Mediterranean Sea is a series of films by Chris and Genevieve Johnson from earthOCEAN, known for producing the award-winning PBS webseries covering the 85,000-mile “Voyage of the Odyssey” with Roger Payne (2000-2005).

Whales of the Mediterranean Sea in 7 languages!

by

Are there whales in the Mediterranean Sea? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, including resident populations of deep-divng sperm whales, fin whales, the second largest whale of all, as well as five species of charistmatic dolphins, the same species watched by the ancient Greeks and painted on their walls and ornaments.

A five-part documentary film series, Whales of the Mediterranean Sea, highlights the latest amazing research into whales and dolphins as well as the heroic efforts to conserve them and their habitat in the Mediterranean. It is produced by Chris and Genevieve Johnson from earthOCEAN, known for producing the award-winning PBS website covering the 85,000-mile “Voyage of the Odyssey” with Roger Payne (2000-2005).

The films also feature the dramatic work of Oceana in combatting the biggest conservation problem in the Mediterranean – the persistence of driftnets that are so destructive to all forms of life, including whales and dolphins.

This month the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) announces a five-year campaign to obtain large highly protected safe havens for whales and dolphins. The first of 12 proposed areas is the Alborán Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA) featured in Whales of the Mediterranean Sea. The final programme focuses on MPAs. The

We are making the films available for download for educational purposes at www.whaletrackers.com. Each film lasts 12—18 minutes and offers insightful interviews with scientists, rare original video of sperm and pilot whales, bottlenose, common and Risso’s dolphins in the wild and superb graphics to lead to a greater understanding of this ancient sea. Teachers are encouraged to download the videos as an educational resource, using the classroom notes for teachers provided on the site.

The films are in english with subtitles in Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian, German and Greek. The project to translate and implement the language versions was initiated and sponsored by WDCS and OceanCare, with the help of the other groups including Oceana, Tethys Research Institute, Alnitak, Pelagos Research Institute and WWF.

We welcome the efforts of schools, local communities and NGOs interested in showing the videos to publicize the problems of cetaceans in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Schools, communities and NGOs can link to and use the online materials or download high-resolution versions via iTunes (e.g., for use in classrooms) but for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

For more information contact us

EcoFilms Film Festival

by

The film “Sperm Whales of Greece – Life in the Trenches” is an official selection at the 2008 EcoFilms environmental film festival in Rhodos, Greece. Ecofilms is one of Europe’s oldest environmental film festivals.

June 29, 2008 – 12:30pm
Municipal Cinema (????????? ??????????????), Rhodos, Greece.

For more information go to:

http://www.ecofilms.gr/03.1.films_en.asp

2008 REEL EARTH Festival

by

One of our recent short films we produced with OCEANA entitled – “Fishy Business – The Illegal Driftnet Fishery” is an official selection at the 2008 Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival in New Zealand.

The details are:
Friday May 23, 7 pm : The Globe Cinema, Palmerston North, N.Z.
Friday May 30, 2 pm : Downtown Cinemas Complex, Palmerston North, N.Z.

For more information about Reel Earth go to:

http://www.aeff.org.nz/AEFF2008/Films.html

“Fishy Business” is also online in english at:

http://www.earthocean.tv/whaletrackers/whalesmed-part3.html

and in spanish too:

http://www.earthocean.tv/whaletrackers/whalesmed-part3-esp.html

Chris Johnson named to the board of Filmmakers for Conservation

by

Chris Johnson of earthOCEAN is named to the board of directors of Filmmakers for Conservation (FFC) – a non-profit organization “using the power of film and media to conserve our natural world”. FFC is the global conservation organisation and charity for the wildlife film and television industry.chris filming zodiac 500 300x210 Chris Johnson named to the board of Filmmakers for Conservation

With experience combining new media, wildlife and conservation filmmaking, Chris will help FFC in new media initiatives over the next two years. FFC are currently developing a new online presence and web channel combining the global efforts of its members in the industry to be launched by mid-2008.

Tanya Peterson, FFC co-president adds – “We are delighted that Chris has recently joined the FFC board. His appointment comes at an exciting time for the organisation as it evolves into an online platform and community for the conservation filmmaking community. With his extensive background in new media we look forward to Chris’ contribution in building a stronger FFC.”

For more information visit the Filmmaker for Conservation website at – www.filmmakersforconservation.org

New Documentary exploring Marine Protected Areas

by

earthOCEAN post the final program of the five-part online documentary series – “Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” entitled “Sanctuaries of the Sea – Are Marine Protected Areas for Cetaceans a Solution?”.

What does it mean to save whales, dolphins and porpoises if their habitat is left unprotected? Marine Protected Areas, also known as MPAs or Marine Sanctuaries, are the equivalent of national parks and protected areas on land. Erich Hoyt is an author and senior research fellow for WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. He feels that creating MPAs for cetaceans can have a far-reaching impact in conserving other species, and whole ecosystems.

Marine scientists Ana Canadas and Ric Sagarminaga work in the Alboran Sea off the coast of southern Spain. They are identifying critical habitats for migratory species while working with various local groups whose livelihoods depend on a healthy sea. However, can establishing MPAs protect cetaceans from all human pressures? We interview Cristina Fossi, a marine toxicologist from the University of Siena, Italy, whose work highlights the extreme levels of pollution in Mediterranean cetaceans.

Our final program of the series, “Whales of the Mediterranean Sea”, explores whether whales, dolphins and porpoises can be the catalyst in protecting marine biodiversity in this ancient sea. “Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” ventures into deep seas and coastal waters with a range of international scientists. It examines the ecology of cetaceans, while exploring the causes of increasing pressures on their populations and habitats. The greatest challenge of all is raising awareness, as most people do not even know there are whales in the Mediterranean Sea.

Whale Trackers is a series of documentary programs combining the collective wisdom of scientists and conservationists with a remarkable range of expertise and perspectives. It uncovers the latest science techniques being used to study whales, dolphins and porpoises, while inspiring and encouraging young people to want to learn more about the oceans. It examines the threats that individual species face, and focuses on the people who are making a difference to preserve the animals, by connecting their fate to the health of their respective habitats.

 

“Disappearing Dolphins” Explored

by

earthOCEAN post the fourth program of the five-part online documentary series – “Whales of an Ancient Sea” entitled “Disappearing Dolphins”.

Common dolphins were once abundant throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Today they are declining rapidly, surviving only in portions of their former range. In western Greece, the sea around the island of Kalamos is their last stronghold, or at least it used to be. So why are the dolphins disappearing?

We interview Giovanni Bearzi, the President of the Tethys Research Institute in Italy, and a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. Giovanni has been studying coastal dolphins in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea for two decades. What began as a study on the ecology and behavior of common dolphins around Kalamos, became a systematic record of their demise. Only 30 kilometers away from Kalamos is the Amvrakikos Gulf where coastal bottlenose dolphins are thriving. Why is there such a drastic difference in the health of these two dolphin populations? We meet two local fishermen and discuss their relationship with dolphins and the state of sea around their community. Could what is happening to the common dolphins of Kalamos, also explain why they are disappearing throughout the Mediterranean Sea?

“Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” ventures into deep seas and coastal waters with a range of international scientists. It examines the ecology of cetaceans, while exploring the causes of increasing pressures on their populations and habitats. The greatest challenge of all is raising awareness, as most people do not even know there are whales in the Mediterranean Sea.

CETACEAN INVESTIGATION is a series of documentary programs combining the collective wisdom of scientists and conservationists with a remarkable range of expertise and perspectives. It uncovers the latest science techniques being used to study whales, dolphins and porpoises, while inspiring and encouraging young people to want to learn more about the oceans. It examines the threats that individual species face, and focuses on the people who are making a difference to preserve the animals, by connecting their fate to the health of their respective habitats.

The Illegal Driftnet Fishery Exposed

by

earthOCEAN post the third program of the five-part online documentary series – “Whales of an Ancient Sea” entitled “Fishy Business – The Illegal Driftnet Fishery”.

Despite a world-wide ban by the United Nations in 1992 and by the European Union in 2002, the driftnet fishery continues illegally throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Driftnets are banned because they take large quantities of unwanted catch, called bycatch, putting populations of migratory fish, sea turtles and cetaceans at risk.

We interview Xavier Pastor of Oceana, a global marine conservation organization. He leads a team of scientists, photographers, and videographers who are systematically documenting the use of illegal driftnets throughout the Mediterranean. With over 500 driftnet vessels operating illegally in the region, researchers and conservation groups are concerned that marine species are being pushed to the edge. In this episode, we investigate the fishery and examine why it still occurs today.

“Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” ventures into deep seas and coastal waters with a range of international scientists. It examines the ecology of cetaceans, while exploring the causes of increasing pressures on their populations and habitats. The greatest challenge of all is raising awareness, as most people do not even know there are whales in the Mediterranean Sea.

WHALE TRACKERS is a series of documentary programs combining the collective wisdom of scientists and conservationists with a remarkable range of expertise and perspectives. It uncovers the latest science techniques being used to study whales, dolphins and porpoises, while inspiring and encouraging young people to want to learn more about the oceans. It examines the threats that individual species face, and focuses on the people who are making a difference to preserve the animals, by connecting their fate to the health of their respective habitats.

Chris and Genevieve Johnson to speak at Wildlife Asia

by

Chris and Genevieve Johnson of earthOCEAN will be speaking at Wildlife Asia – Asia’s premier wildlife and environmental film festival in Singapore from March 13-16, 2007.

The Wildlife Asia is an international wildlife, conservation and environmental film festival. Wildlife Asia celebrates the very best in wildlife filmmaking in Asia and throughout the world. It is open to filmmakers, conservationists and the public.

The Festival will be an essential marketplace to: stimulate new film productions for the local and international markets; advance wildlife and conservation filmmaking throughout Asia; and nurture new Asian filmmakers. It will also be a vital platform for debate on the most pertinent topics to wildlife filmmaking and conservation communication in Asia. The Festival’s programme comprise an exciting program of key-note speeches and seminars covering the latest issues in wildlife film making and conservation, thought-provoking debates, workshops exploring technology advances and various aspects of film making, screenings of short-listed films, idea pitching opportunities to key commissioners and a trade show for cutting edge equipment.

 

The Festival itself will culminate in the Lion Awards – honouring the best wildlife and conservation films and new media productions.

At 2pm on March 14, Genevieve Johnson will be part of a panel of speakers discussing “Science versus the Story”.

An issue that always provokes heated debate: Can dumbing-down go too far? In our attempts to reach broader, larger audiences have we neglected good educational story telling? How is reality television affecting our perception of what the viewers want?

Panelists include:

  • Dr Brady Barr (Moderator) National Geographic
  • Frances Berrigan – Cicada Films
  • Stephen Fairchild – Wildlife Conservation Society
  • Genevieve Johnson – earthOCEAN

On March 15th, at 4pm, Chris Johnson will be part of a panel entitled – “Interactive Future – Alternative forms of broadcasting”.

What is the future of broadcasting? This seminal seminar attempts to forecast how convergence of the media and interactive television will affect future wildlife filmmaking and identifies key technological developments such as 3G broadcasting that are enabling us to develop new ways to communicate.

Panelists include:

  • Hayden Turner (Moderator) – National Geographic TV Presenter / Conservationist
  • Chas Sweeting – Star TV, Mobile & Interactive
  • Ronald Tobias – Montana State University
  • Chris Johnson – earthOCEAN

On March 16th at 11:30am, Chris & Genevieve will take part in “Inspiring the Future” – Sponsored by WWF.

In this event, we use the latest communication technology to find new ways to inspire today’s youth into becoming actively involved in caring for the natural world. Working with Apple, we will take a couple of youth filmmakers works and go through the processes of how they can shoot and broadcast their own films – directly from their MacBook Pro! This session will also draw on the experience of panellists as we explore how technology is making it possible for anyone to be a filmmaker, a broadcaster, an agent of change – thanks to mobile filmmaking and the internet.

Panellists including:

  • Tanya Petersen WWF International
  • Ronald Tobias – Montana State University
  • Chris and Genevieve Johnson – earthOCEAN

Follow updates of Wildlife Asia in Chris Johnson’s blog – “Behind the Camera”.