The 2017 recipient of CMG's $30,000 Blue Initiative Grant is The Pew Charitable Trusts’ global shark conservation campaign. Pew has extensive experience working around the world to reverse the decline of shark populations, whose primary threat is unregulated fishing driven primarily by the demand for shark fins in the global trade. With no single international body managing sharks, Pew works to create domestic and international management measures that will form a protective framework for these species to survive and recover. Working with partners on the ground is critical to accomplish these goals and through the development of media tools including videos, Pew will connect with a variety of audiences to make a lasting and measurable impact in the field of shark conservation.
Through our CMG Blue Initiative grant, Pew’s shark campaign, led by director, Luke Warwick, is collaborating with award-winning photo and video journalist, Steve De Neef. Specializing in conservation, documentary, underwater, and aerial photography, Steve has most recently partnered with Pew to create a video highlighting the benefits thresher shark tourism brings to the community of Malapascua Island in the Philippines. Pew’s global shark conservation campaign team will create three short videos to demonstrate the importance of shark conservation; the benefits proper shark management brings to local communities; and the need for increased protections for these critical top predators:
The first film will be used in conjunction with the Convention on the Conservation Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) 12th Conference of the Parties (CoP12) in Manila from October 23-28, 2017, where multiple shark species will be proposed for international protections, including whale sharks.
The second Blue Initiative video will support the development of comprehensive national shark and ray management legislation in the Philippines.
The third video will illustrate the benefits shark conservation brings to countries and communities all over the globe; and will be shown at a variety of events including workshops, trainings, and conferences all over the world, and would have a significant focus on the economic benefits of shark and ray dive tourism as a driver for stronger legislative protections.
In line with CMG’s mission to use video to create measurable impact, each of the three videos is tied to a specific objective, which, if accomplished, demonstrates how these videos are part of the toolkit to ensure success. As part of the global shark conservation campaign, Pew will also partner with organizations on the ground to use these videos strategically to promote shark conservation in their respective regions through screenings and other community education and outreach events in the Philippines and throughout the Pacific Islands.
Our Blue Initiative Program provides a $30,000 grant to an international organization each year, including production funding, in kind support, and guidance, to create a series of short films aimed at engaging local audiences in direct measurable action. In addition, a short film is created to engage world travelers in protecting the places they love to explore. Funding of this program is in partnership with and made possible by a 5-year grant from the Grand Circle Foundation, whose mission is to “give back to the world we travel.”
Learn more about the Blue Initiative Grant here - and learn more about our new grantees here.
Whale Shark and Diver Self-Portrait photos courtesy and copyright of Steve De Neef.
Pew Global Shark Conservation Campaign
The 2017 recipient of CMG's $30,000 Blue Initiative Grant is The Pew Charitable Trusts’ global shark conservation campaign. Pew has extensive experience working around the world to reverse the decline of shark populations, whose primary threat is unregulated fishing driven primarily by the demand for shark fins in the global trade. With no single international body managing sharks, Pew works to create domestic and international management measures that will form a protective framework for these species to survive and recover. Working with partners on the ground is critical to accomplish these goals and through the development of media tools including videos, Pew will connect with a variety of audiences to make a lasting and measurable impact in the field of shark conservation.
Through our CMG Blue Initiative grant, Pew’s shark campaign, led by director, Luke Warwick, is collaborating with award-winning photo and video journalist, Steve De Neef. Specializing in conservation, documentary, underwater, and aerial photography, Steve has most recently partnered with Pew to create a video highlighting the benefits thresher shark tourism brings to the community of Malapascua Island in the Philippines. Pew’s global shark conservation campaign team will create three short videos to demonstrate the importance of shark conservation; the benefits proper shark management brings to local communities; and the need for increased protections for these critical top predators:
In line with CMG’s mission to use video to create measurable impact, each of the three videos is tied to a specific objective, which, if accomplished, demonstrates how these videos are part of the toolkit to ensure success. As part of the global shark conservation campaign, Pew will also partner with organizations on the ground to use these videos strategically to promote shark conservation in their respective regions through screenings and other community education and outreach events in the Philippines and throughout the Pacific Islands.
Our Blue Initiative Program provides a $30,000 grant to an international organization each year, including production funding, in kind support, and guidance, to create a series of short films aimed at engaging local audiences in direct measurable action. In addition, a short film is created to engage world travelers in protecting the places they love to explore. Funding of this program is in partnership with and made possible by a 5-year grant from the Grand Circle Foundation, whose mission is to “give back to the world we travel.”
Learn more about the Blue Initiative Grant here - and learn more about our new grantees here.
Whale Shark and Diver Self-Portrait photos courtesy and copyright of Steve De Neef.
Luke Warwick photo courtesy and copyright of Pew Charitable Trusts.