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With stunning footage of Antarctica's unique landscapes and wild life, The Last Ocean profiles the international battle over commercial fishing in the Ross Sea, the last pristine ocean ecosystem on earth.
The Ross Sea is a vast, icy landscape that teems with life -- whales, seals and penguins carving out a place on the very edge of existence. This 'living laboratory' is one of the last places where the delicate balance of nature still prevails, largely untouched by humans. But an international fishing fleet has recently made its way to the Ross Sea, targeting the highly lucrative Antarctic Toothfish, sold as Chilean Sea Bass around the world.
Californian ecologist Dr. David Ainley has studied the Ross Sea's unique ecosystem for more than forty years and knows that unless fishing is stopped, the natural balance will be lost forever. He rallies fellow scientists and builds a global campaign to protect this last pristine marine ecosystem.
Featuring top scientists, including Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Daniel Pauly, as well as international political leaders, the film examines both the science and politics behind the debate over preserving Earth's last truly wild ocean.
Reviews
"Four Stars. The Last Ocean is a spectacular, informative and urgent piece of work... Through Peter Young's lens, the Antarctic looks wild and wonderful." - Graeme Tuckett, Dominion Post
"Four stars. Young's film is absorbing, politically and ecologically informative, nightmarish, and excellent, albeit disturbing, cinema." - Sam Edwards, Waikato Times
"Peter Young's ravishing footage lends emotive force to his detailed account of the case against fishing Antarctic waters." - Bill Gosden, New Zealand International Film Festival
Awards
Winner, Best Feature & Best Science Communication Film, Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival
Winner, Best Call2Action Film, Boulder International Film Festival ?
Winner, Royal Reel Award Documentary, Canada International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Real to Reel International Film Festival
Winner, Moving Mountains, Mountainfilm in Telluride
Winner, Independent Producer of the Year, New Zealand Screen Producer and Development Association
By Spencer Bruttig, Nicholas DaSilva, Clinton Reynolds and Alexander Mark Romanov
Sea Otters were once abundant from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula all the way to Baja California, Mexico. High demand for their fur coats led to intense hunting that reduced their numbers to near-extinction levels
The otter population is now coming back, thanks to the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which provided refuge for the few remaining individual otters. But their return brings the potential for drastic change and conflict to the modern-day economics and ecology of Southern California.
For more than a decade, sea otters were exiled from their historic home range in Southern California, out of fear by fishermen that their return would deplete the profitable shellfish industry. The entire southern coast of California - from Pt. Conception, north of Santa Barbara, to the Mexico border - was established as a No Otter Zone.
The film presents the history and conflict over the otters, and illustrates the critical choice that must be made: whether to continue to protect some fisheries with a no otter zone, or allow this historic predator to repopulate throughout its natural range. The battle continues today in court.
Featured in the Film
Lilian Carswell, Southern Sea Otter Recovery Coordinator, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Steve Rebuck, Commercial Abalone Divers of California
Steve Shimek, Founder, The Otter Project
Rick Rosenthal, Marine Biologist
Michael Harrington, Executive Committee, California Abalone Association
Review
"Looks at both sides of the issue whether otters should be allowed to populate the local waters around the Channel Islands where abalone and sea urchins have thrived since otters were removed." - Ojai Film Festival
The Marine Science Institute leads a student expedition along the California Coast. Pools left behind by the receding tide reveal fascinating marine creatures. It's a delicate ecosystem affected by climate change and rising sea levels. The Sandhill Crane, a species that goes back 40 million years, is the most abundant crane species in the world. But the Greater Sandhill Crane is endangered. A preserve in Central California is working to restore their population. Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska is a place to celebrate the wonder of trees, from the discovery ride through the orchards, to the 50-foot high tree house. The farm is also developing a hazelnut hybrid to introduce as a green biodiesel crop. Plus, the winner Of Planet Connect Teen Video contest.
This show looks at the oceans of the world and the marine life that inhabits them. The Great Barrier Reef, marine scientific research, Whale Sharks, The Mexican Turtle Center, Albatross, Seals, mini\ submarines and big wave tow-in surfers are all reliant on conditions only made possible in oceans.
In our throw away world a plastic bag outlives it's usefulness after around fifteen minutes. A plastic bottle might last a little longer, party balloons a whole occasion. But the ocean likes to hang onto these discarded treasures for decades, even centuries giving many other consumers a taste for plastic.
As mammals, humans and dolphins share a number of important biological characteristics. Both species are warm-blooded, have body hair, breathe air, give live birth and nurse their young. But is it possible that we have more in common? Do they like us? Can they reason and solve problems? Just how intelligent are these gentle marine mammals? In this program, join marine scientists from Florida to Hawaii who are trying to answer these and other questions about dolphins by studying how they live, learn and communicate. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
Gravity from the moon creates ocean tides on earth that go out two times a day, every day of the year. This effect of the moons gravity on the oceans can be harnessed and turned into power. In fact, people have been using the power of the tides to do work for centuries. This program explores how tidal power is generated and how it works. It illustrates how the tides are created, how watermills once used the tides to grind grain, and how modern power plants use turbines to turn this constant flow of water into electricity. It also discusses how tidal power plants can work without damming estuaries and rivers. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
Sharks have inhabited our oceans for more than 400 million years. Their ability to adapt to their environment over time has classified them as one of the worlds most successful species. In this program, we dive into the ocean to take a closer look at these magnificent creatures and examine the qualities and characteristics that have enabled them to survive for millions of years. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
Take students on a mission to see what's being done to save the manatee, a marine animal sometimes known as a 'sea cow' because of its size and diet, which consists mainly of vegetation. We'll journey to points in Florida where the manatee lives and to the Sea World Aquarium in Orlando. There, you'll see how researchers and scientists are studying and protecting the peaceful manatee to ensure its survival. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
Take a dive into the underwater world of coral reefs and explore their importance in helping us understand much of the recent history of our oceans. The long life span of coral reefs has made them important places for scientific exploration and today much of that study deals with coral reef survival. Students will learn that the largest reef in the world is the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
One of the harshest environments on earth exists at the place where the sea meets the rocky shore. This visually stunning program examines the wide variety of animal and plant life that survive these difficult conditions that are caused by pounding waves during the ebb and flow of the tides. Students will come to appreciate how these plants and animals have adapted to develop unique survival mechanisms that help them find food and escape predators. Comes complete with online teachers guide which includes subject matter revision and suggestions on how to present material, questions to ask students, career possibilities and class projects to help illustrate the key concepts.
The planet's oceans are rapidly becoming the world's trash dump. Every mile of ocean now contains an average of 74,000 pieces of plastic. A "plastic soup" of waste, killing hundreds of thousands of animals every year and as chemicals trickle slowly up the food chain. In California, conservationists are seeing increasing numbers of whales and dolphins die agonizing deaths. Their intestines blocked with plastics and other trash. In Holland, scientists researching the decline of the fulmar bird found plastic in the stomachs of 95% of all samples. In Germany, chemicals leached from plastic have been found to affect the reproductive systems of humans as well animals. What will be the long-term impact of this "plastic pollution?" Can anything be done to clean up our oceans?
Coral reefs are the "rainforests of the sea", home to nearly ? of the ocean's marine species. In the calm, crystal clear waters off the north coast of Bali, miles of elaborate coral reefs once teemed with vibrant and colorful marine life. Most of Bali's coral reefs were destroyed by a deadly combination of coral bleaching, partly from global warming, and fishing with explosives and cyanide.
But thanks to revolutionary new technology called 'mineral accretion', the dream of the local community to once again have their reefs teeming with exotic marine life could soon become reality.
Reef Reborn travels to the magnificent island of Bali to follow the work of two marine scientists endeavoring to reconstruct the precious underwater ecosystems. The scientists' miraculous mineral accretion structures build reefs up to five times faster than they would naturally occur. They do this by passing an electric current through the metal framework, in turn causing an accumulation of limestone, that encourages living coral to thrive.
Like a drop of water in a pond, the humble efforts of the scientists and community begin to ripple outwards. A sea-change takes place in the village; recognition and pride unite disparate factions of the fishing community, which asks for more accretion structures to help build fish stocks in the Bay.
Filmmaker, author and adventurer Jon Bowermaster provides a unique, up-close introduction to the stark beauty, fragility and importance of the remote continent of Antarctica. For six weeks Bowermaster and his team explored the Antarctic by sailboat, sea kayak, foot and small plane -- observing first-hand the fast -changing evolution of the continent.
The earth is a complex system with Antarctica its heart. The annual expanding and shrinking of the ice sheet, which holds about 70% of the earth's fresh water, affects the entire planet's weather and oceans. Today, the continent is increasingly impacted by human activities: global warming is causing the ice to melt at a greater pace and endangering wildlife, nations are fighting over Antarctica's natural resources, and the area has become a major tourist destination.
Bowermaster's film mixes footage of stunning scenery with factual information in an engaging and entertaining way. We witness the rarely seen collapse of a massive ice arch, hike through massive snow mountains, visit with biologists tracking declining penguin populations, and scientists monitoring the ozone layer from the site where the hole in the ozone was first discovered.
Jon Bowermaster has traveled around the world for the last decade to study, film and write about the human impact on the world's oceans.
Awards
Winner, Best Ocean Issues, Blue Ocean Film Festival
Winner, Best of Festival, Vancouver Int'l Mountain Film Fest
The first major feature documentary film revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Based on the book by Charles Clover.
THE END OF THE LINE delves beyond the surface of the seas to reveal a troubling truth beneath: an ocean increasingly empty of fish, destroyed by decades of overexploitation.
Exploring the tragic collapse of the cod fishery in Newfoundland in the 1990s, the imminent extinction of the prized bluefin tuna, and the devastation wreaked by illegal catches and surpassed fishing quotas, the film uncovers the dark ecological story behind our love affair with fish as food.
The film argues that unless we demand political action from governments, responsible menu selections from restaurateurs as well as changing our own consumption habits, we could see the end of wild fish by mid-century.
Reviews
"Stunningly filmed...a riveting indictment of the ecological and socioeconomic consequences of commercial overfishing of the world's oceans." - Dr. Mark Hixon, Professor of Marine Conservation Biology, Oregon State University
"The End of the Line draws on interviews with scientists, activists and fishermen to create a compelling case...[The film] has a clear call to action." - G Magazine
"[A] call to action...Roams the globe to show how the overfishing of our oceans by greedy multinationals has endangered popular species like bluefin tuna, marlin, and Atlantic salmon." - Gerald Peary, The Phoenix
Awards
Best Foreign Documentary, Jury Award, Traverse City Film Festival
Best Environment Film, Boulder Adventure Film Festival
Ocean acidification threatens over one million species with extinction--and with them, our entire way of life.
A Sea Change documents how the pH balance of the oceans has changed dramatically since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution: a 30% increase in acidification. With near unanimity, scientists now agree that the burning of fossil fuels is fundamentally reshaping ocean chemistry. Experts predict that over the next century, steady increases in carbon dioxide emissions and the continued rise in the acidity of the oceans will cause most of the world's fisheries to experience a total bottom-up collapse--a state that could last for millions of years.
A Sea Change broadens the discussion about the dramatic changes we are seeing in the chemistry of the oceans, and conveys the urgent threat those changes pose to our survival, while surveying the steps we can take to reduce the severity of climate change. The film's protagonist Sven Huseby asks how will he explain to his oldest grandchild, Elias, what is happening to the oceans and their ecosystems.
A Sea Change is both a personal journey and a scientifically rigorous, sometimes humorous, unflinchingly honest look at reality. It offers positive examples of new technologies and effective changes in human behavior that we all must choose before the oceans are lost.
Reviews
"Sounds the alarm about ocean acidification while offering hope for the future." - Chuleenan Svetvilas, San Francisco International Film Festival Program
"Ocean acidification is a significant part of the climate change story. A Sea Change does a unique and excellent job of conveying this complex scientific issue to the public." - Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
"A magnificent synthesis of science and heart." - Anne Alexander Rowley, Chair, Oceana's Ocean Council
Awards
Grand Prize, Feature Documentary, FICA International Environmental Film Festival, Goias, Brazil
Best Coastal Film, Cottonwood Creek Environmental Film Festival
Best Nordic Country Documentary, Polar Film Festival, Finland
Green Docs Award, Kosovo International Documentary Film Festival
More than 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Use this DVD to impress upon your students the importance of the seven seas to people, the marine food chain, and the planet as a whole. Topics include the various kinds of currents and the forces that influence them, tides and waves (what they are, what causes them, and how they're classified), features of the seabed, and the formation and shaping of coastlines. A basic explanation of how oceans have been affected by human activity is also provided.
All water, even rainwater contains dissolved chemicals which scientists call "Salts." These salts eventually wash down into rivers and streams and eventually find their way into oceans and seas.Subjects covered include: The origin of the sea. The sources of salt. The components of sea water. The salinity of the sea and its variability. How sea life affects sea waters composition.
Embark upon a geographical exploration of our planet's seven seas. Learn their names and see where they are located.
Learning Objectives
1) The geographical locations of the seven oceans will be clearly illustrated.
2) The first navigators to sail some of the oceans will be identified.
3) Students will learn about how the location of an ocean affects its characteristics.
Take a trip around the world and learn about such distinctive coastal characteristics as Norwegian fjords and Spanish rias. Tidal bores and reversing falls are also shown.
Learning Objectives:
1) Some of the interesting natural phenomena that occur within our oceans and along our coastlines will be introduced.
2) Ways in which water areas and coastal landforms originate and change will be examined, and how the earth's movement affects coasts and bodies of water will be studied.
3) A brief glimpse of some of the world's most beautiful coastal regions will be provided.
Examines water's crucial role in sustaining life on earth. Looks at the oceans in relation to temperature stability, the water cycle and the exchange of nutrients, oxygen and carbon dioxide between plants and animals. Even organisms on land carry an internal "ocean."
This is a remake of the best-selling 1985 video of the same name. Updated with graphics/animation, exciting new footage and a specific science/physics focus, this film provides an excellent summary of the nature of waves, as illustrated by waves in the ocean. Topics covered include:
Explore various coastal regions around the world, and discover the forces that shape them. Examples and graphics explain the interaction of water and shorelines.
Learning Objectives:
1) Terminology used to describe waves and coastlines will be introduced.
2) Illustrative examples of the erosive processes of waves will be provided and it will be shown how they constantly change the world's shores.
3) The waves' work of shaping shores and beaches will be shown as part of the many natural processes of the planet.
The forces at work on the land-sea interface are explained and illustrated with examples from around the world.
Learning Objectives:
1) To provide a basis for understanding the processes that shape coastlines.
2) To explain the causes of waves and tides.
3) To illustrate examples of the types of coastal environments.
The fundamentals of physical oceanography. Earth's water cycle. The special properties of water. Earth's water reservoirs. The role of the sun's energy in driving the cycle. Ocean heating and ocean currents. The evolution of ocean basins and continental margins within the context of plate tectonics and continental drift.
System Requirements
Windows: 98, ME, XP, or 2000, Vista, plus multimedia capabilities.
A look at ocean action. Waves, tides, and changing sea levels. Submergent and emergent coastlines. Coastal features and interactions. Light in the oceans. Plankton, food chains, food webs and trophic levels.
System Requirements
Windows: 98, ME, XP, or 2000, Vista, plus multimedia capabilities.
A "big picture" view of Earth's hydrologic cycle. How liquid and solid water move over and through the land. Landforms shaped by moving water. Glaciers and glacial balance. Remote sensing and the oceans from space.
System Requirements
Windows: 98, ME, XP, or 2000, Vista, plus multimedia capabilities.
Examines the general oceanic circulation ranging from barely discernible drifts to surging warm currents, cold upwellings and bottom currents that spread icy waters from pole to pole. Shows how winds are the driving force behind most currents and how both systems are responsible for the global distribution of solar energy. Includes a fascinating account of how the El Nino event affects worldwide weather.