Guy Harvey Featured in “Art and the Animal” Exhibit at College of C. Florida’s Appleton Museum of Art

Guy Harvey‘s art is among the 45 works in the Society of Animal Artists‘ “Art and the Animal” exhibition, on display now at the College of Central Florida‘s Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala. The SAA is an organization dedicated to maintaining the highest standards among painters and sculptors specializing in animal subject matter, and the “Art and the Animal” exhibit features works of animals created by some of today’s best classically trained international animal artists. The works are on display till June 17th.

Showings of “This is Your Ocean: Sharks” Documentary Raises Over $10,000 for Bahamas National Trust

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL—APRIL 6, 2012— The award-winning shark documentary, This is Your Ocean: Sharks, which completed its national tour with a series of final live showings in Palm Beach County last month, raised over $10,000 to benefit the Bahamas National Trust’s efforts to protect sharks.

Two of the film’s stars – celebrated marine artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey and shark expert and diver Jim Abernethy – along with Emmy award winning director George C. Schellenger, attended the final showing on March 22^nd, which also featured a live auction of Harvey’s artwork and Abernethy’s photographs.

This Is Your Ocean: Sharks was part of a campaign led by the Bahamas National Trust encouraging the Bahamian government to increase protection of sharks in their federal waters. This campaign resulted in the prohibition of all commercial shark fishing in its more than 240,000 square miles of territorial waters.

This is Your Ocean: Sharks, which premiered last year at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival, reveals up close the misconceptions and myths surrounding these misunderstood predators of the sea and promotes global shark conservation.  Millions of sharks are killed each year in the shark-fin trade to satisfy the global appetite for shark-fin soup.

Instrumental in bringing the shark documentary to Palm Beach was Jeffrey Berman, whose company, Berman Enterprises LP, owns and manages Downtown at the Gardens, where the gala Palm Beach premier was held at Cobb Theatres 16. The film was shown through the following week at two Cobb Theatres locations.  Cobb generously donated the theatres for the showings.

The film’s director, George Schellenger, said following the Palm Beach County live showings that the documentary will be available in the near future for home audiences via Blu Ray, DVD and downloads.

Dead Sharks Distort Reality

The following commentary was written by Doug Olander, Editor-in-Chief of Sport Fishing magazine. The article appeared as Doug’s editorial column in SF’s April 2012 issue. 

Let me cut to the chase:

1. If I never see another billfish or shark hanging dead for bragging rights and glory photos, it will be too soon.

2. I absolutely, unequivocally see nothing wrong with keeping a shark to eat — preferably a shark of modest size, taken aboard a boat to be shared among anglers and crew.

Too many anglers want to jump to the conclusion that a statement like No. 1 must come from a PC fish hugger who thinks no angler should ever keep any fish. Far from it.

But that sort of thinking seems to be the basis of comments left by an angry fisherman both on SF’s Facebook Page and web site after reading a Quick Bites news item in February on the Shark Free Marina Initiative.

The reader is upset that the item cites as good news four species of sharks added to Florida’s prohibited-species list. Then he asks, “Why do you feel that the prevention of offloading a legally caught species is a good thing?”

I would ask a different question: Why does anyone need to kill sharks such as hammerheads and tigers, whether legal or not? They’re not food fish, so what’s the point of killing them?

Beyond that, even if killing a big shark for the glory of a snapshot in your smartphone is legal, does that make it right?

A news item about Rosie O’Donnell, shark slayer, resurfaced recently, proudly posted on the website of her skipper. Based in Miami Beach, he’s made a reputation for killing sharks (and as long as he could get away with it, anything else including sailfish). Included was a photo of a dead hammerhead (killed long before it was illegal to do so), swinging from a crane as Rosie and her small children smiled for the cameras.

I think hanging up dead sharks in a marina is wrong, but more important, I think doing so is just plain stupid. It’s a point I’ve made before and sadly, probably will have to again: Anglers and captains like Rosie’s do nothing but damage the image of our sport, and hurt you, me and all real sport fishermen. A nonfishing public, seeing dead sharks gathering flies at a dock, more easily accepts a distorted reality where sport fishermen are pigs with no respect for the resource.

And this comes at the very time more and more green groups would be happy to see all recreational fishing banned. Do we need to help their cause? If the purpose of those who agree with Rosie and her skipper is to put further restrictions on our sport, they’re doing a bang-up job.

That doesn’t mean I think no shark should ever be killed (see No. 2 above). A smaller mako or common thresher, neither of which is considered overfished, can be shared by anglers and crew for meals (with no need to leave ’em hanging dead at the dock). A blacktip can offer inshore anglers some fair filets. I’ve even sampled the common bonnethead and found it pretty tasty.

And yes, even across the board, the recreational take of sharks has to be a small fraction of those killed commercially. But the public seldom sees that carnage, versus one shark left to hang at the sport docks. No wonder many of the powerful environmental groups clamoring to close off the ocean no longer try to make any distinction between commercial and sport fishing.

It’s because of skippers like Rosie’s that I join Guy Harvey in supporting the Shark Free Marinas Initiative — to avoid just such repulsive photo-op scenes.

The fact that the Humane Society and Pew support the initiative doesn’t automatically make it bad for recreational fishing. That said, I’ve come to the point where it makes me uncomfortable to be on the same side of any issue with Pew.

But in this case, the mind-set and actions of Rosie and her captain just don’t leave me much choice.

Guy Harvey Talks Sharks on 1290 WJNO Radio

Guy recently spoke to south Florida’s 1290 WJNO radio in advance of the gala screening of the shark documentary, “This is Your Ocean: Sharks”. The film, starring Guy, fellow marine artist Wyland and shark expert Jim Abernethy will be showing Wednesday, March 21st at the Cobb Theatres, Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Guy, Jim and producer/director George Schellenger will be in attendance. Tickets are still available, and all proceeds from this special screening will benefit the Bahamas National Trust.

Guy Harvey Talks “This is Your Ocean: Sharks” on 1290 WJNO Radio

Last Live Showings of “This is Your Oceans: Sharks”

Documentary to Show at Two Cobb Theatres in Palm Beach County

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL—March 6, 2012— The award-winning nature documentary, This is Your Oceans: Sharks, completes its national tour with a series of final live showings in Palm Beach County starting March 21^st with a gala evening event at Cobb Theatres 16 at Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens.

The film’s stars—celebrated marine artists and conservationists Dr. Guy Harvey and Wyland along with shark expert and diver Jim Abernethy and Emmy award winning director George C. Schellenger— are scheduled to attend the first showing, which will also feature a live auction of the artists’ original art. Tickets for the gala evening, which include light hors d’oeuvres and wine, are priced at $22.

All of the net proceeds from the gala opening and subsequent showings of the film at both Cobb Theatres 16 at Downtown at the Gardens and Cobb Theaters 18 in Jupiter are being donated to the Bahamas National Trust which recently headed a campaign resulting in the Government of the Bahamas prohibiting all commercial shark fishing in its more than 240,000 square miles of territorial waters. The Bahamas is the fourth country to ban shark fishing after Honduras, the Maldives and Palau.

One of the premier shark-watching destinations for divers, reeling in $800 million over the past 20 years for the Bahamian national economy, sharks, according to Dr. Harvey, are worth much more alive than dead.

“Many countries have seen their populations of sharks annihilated by commercial over-exploitation,” said Dr. Harvey.  “Research has shown that shark populations do not recover.  Other countries will take encouragement from the Bahamas’ very bold move.  They are realizing very quickly the value of the living shark in maintaining the health of reef ecosystems.  In addition, the economic value of a living shark to ecotourism is now widely accepted as a sustainable and non-consumptive use of a marine resource with many additional benefits to respective island nations.”

Instrumental in bringing the shark documentary to Palm Beach is Jeffrey Berman, whose company, Berman Enterprises LP, owns and manages Downtown at the Gardens.

“This documentary certainly changed the way I looked at these magnificent animals and gave me a new understanding of why it’s so important to be caretakers for our oceans and the creatures that inhabit them,” said Berman.  “I have to especially thank the folks from Cobb Theatres for donating the theaters for these showings, it was a very generous commitment.”

Joining Cobb as sponsors are Whole Foods Market and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

This is Your Ocean: Sharks, which premiered last year at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival, reveals up close the misconceptions and myths surrounding these misunderstood predators of the sea and promotes global shark conservation.  Millions of sharks are killed each year in the shark-fin trade to stratify the global appetite for shark-fin soup.

The film’s director, George Schellenger, said following the Palm Beach County live showings the documentary will be available to home audiences via Blu Ray, DVD and downloads.

Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Partners Applaud FWC Decision to Protect Four Shark Species in FL Waters

LOS ANGELES (November 30,　 2011) —The Humane Society of the United States (the HSUS) and the Shark Free Marina Initiative (SFMI) commend the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for their recent decision to increase protection for four imperiled shark species (tiger sharks, and great, scalloped and smooth hammerheads) in Florida waters beginning January 1, 2012.

“This important decision will ensure much needed conservation and respect for these vulnerable species,” notes Dr. Robert Hueter, senior scientist and director, Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research. “Many shark species have declined because of overfishing, which recreational fishing has contributed to in the U.S.”

“The coalition that makes up the Shark Free Marina Initiative is very excited about what Florida has done,” says Luke Tipple, managing director, the SFMI. “Increasing protection for these four species has provided a positive and affirming educational message to anglers and other citizens alike that sharks are indeed threatened and need protection.”

The SFMI is an independent project of the Humane Society of the United States that is designed to reduce worldwide shark mortality by educating fishermen to the plight of sharks and asking marinas and businesses all over the world to voluntarily designate themselves as Shark Free or Shark Friendly, thereby prohibiting the killing or landing of sharks. Over 120 marinas world-wide have joined this initiative.

“SFMI is a truly cooperative program receiving strong and sustained support from the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, the Pegasus Foundation, Fishpond USA and the Pew Environment Group,” adds John Grandy, Ph.D., senior vice president of The HSUS.

The SFMI has just launched a major campaign in Florida to encourage marinas to register as Shark Free or Shark Friendly. More than 70 marinas in Florida have registered and include some of the biggest and most well -known marinas Florida, including Bahia Mar, home of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

“The state of Florida is key to reducing shark mortality,” according to Guy Harvey, world-renowned artist, angler and conservationist. “Our SFMI campaign and attendant publicity for participating marinas will provide additional education and support for the recent FWC decision.

“We all need to work together to ensure a healthy ocean environment for future generations,” says John Land LeCoq, co-founder, Fishpond USA. “I am proud to be part of this critically important effort.”

Additional facts about shark protection:

* More than a year ago the FWC designated the lemon shark as fully protected in state waters.

* Last week, Asia’s oldest hotel chain, The Peninsula Hotels, announced it will stop serving shark fin at all its hotels starting January 1, in an effort to recognize the threat facing the global shark population. Peninsula Hotels can be found in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Chicago, Beverley Hills, Tokyo, Bangkok and Manila. One is due to open in Paris in 2013.

* In the U.S., for the past two years, The HSUS and the Humane Society International (HSI) have worked to enact legislation prohibiting the trade and sale of shark fins in Hawaii, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Washington, Oregon and California, closing off U.S. Pacific ports and their role in facilitating the global shark fin trade.

Guy Harvey Comments on FWC Shark Ban

Greg Jacoski of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation addresses the FWC at the November 16th meeting in Key Largo.

The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is very happy to announce that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has voted to add great, smooth and scalloped hammerhead sharks and tiger sharks to the protected species list. The final vote was held November 16th at the FWC meeting in Key Largo. The new ruling prohibits the harvest, possession, sale and exchange of these species by recreational and commercial fishermen in Florida state waters, which extend out nine miles in the Gulf of Mexico and three miles in the Atlantic Ocean. The ban on harvesting these sharks goes into effect January 1, 2012.

The FWC voted to protect these species of sharks because they have shown population declines of more than fifty percent. It is also especially vital to protect sharks in Florida’s waters where they are particularly susceptible to fishing pressure and often use state waters as a nursery ground. The FWC is also working on an educational campaign highlighting fishing and handling techniques that increase the survival rate of sharks that are caught and released while ensuring the safety of the anglers targeting them.

Adding tiger sharks and the three species of hammerhead sharks to the protected species list marks the end of a year-long effort by several marine conservation groups and passionate individuals who petitioned the FWC at meetings held throughout the state. The FWC unanimously passed the mandate despite one individual dissenting during the public comment period. The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation sincerely appreciates everyones efforts on this very important legislation.

Cheers!

Guy

Florida Bans Killing of Tiger and Hammerhead Sharks

Killing Some Sharks in Florida Is Now A Crime

WorldFishingNetwork.com – Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, it will be illegal for anglers to harvest tiger sharks and three species of hammerheads in Florida state waters.

The motion was brought forth by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Nov. 16  in an effort to further protect these top predators that rely on Florida waters to survive.

“Sometimes the appropriate measures of conservation are the problems we avoid, not the problems we have to fix,” said Commissioner Brian Yablonski.

The new measures will also prohibit possession, sale, and exchange of tiger sharks and great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks. These sharks can still be caught, but only if released alive.

FWC’s decision comes after more than a year of deliberation. Concerned citizens, shark researchers, and shark anglers expressed their desires to FWCto see increased protections for sharks.

Florida waters offer essential habitat for young sharks, which is important for species such as the slow-to-reproduce tiger shark, which takes about 15 years to reach maturity.

Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992, with a one-shark-per-person, two-sharks-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters and a ban on shark finning. Roughly two-dozen overfished, vulnerable or rare shark species are catch-and-release only in Florida waters.

In addition to the new measures, FWC is also working on an educational campaign highlighting fishing and handling techniques that increase the survival rate of sharks that are caught and released while ensuring the safety of the anglers targeting them.

Guy Harvey, Sharks Take Center Stage for Showing of “This is Your Ocean”, Q&A Session at U. of Miami

Stunning Documentary & Discussion Focus on Ocean’s Most Mysterious and Magnificent Creatures

MIAMI — The R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program at the University of Miami (UM) hosts an exclusive, one night only South Florida showing of the This Is Your Ocean: Sharks at the Bill Cosford Cinema on Thursday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m. The event will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. where world-renowned marine wildlife artist Dr. Guy Harvey and eight-year-old Oceana Ocean Hero Sophi Bromenshenkel will be painting together live. The artwork they create will be auctioned at the end of the evening, after a Q&A session that will feature Dr. Harvey and shark expert Jim Abernethy who appear in the documentary, Emmy¨ Award Winning Writer, Editor and Director George C. Shellenger, and R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program Director and UM Faculty Member Dr. Neil Hammerschlag. Proceeds from the event will benefit the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program.

Narrated by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, the documentary takes you on an adventure with renowned marine life artists Dr. Guy Harvey and Wyland, and shark expert Jim Abernethy. The film focuses on the global plight of sharks, their critical role in the marine ecosystem, and introduces audiences to a 14-foot tiger shark named Emma.

“Sharks are one of the most threatened groups of marine animals on the planet,” said Hammershlag. “As apex-predators at the top of the food chain, they play an important role in maintaining the health and balance of our oceans. The majority of the public is unaware of this dire situation and this documentary is an entertaining and informative way to generate the attention that shark conservation deserves.”

The Q&A after the screening will be moderated by 2011 National Geographic Explorer of the Year and UM Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy Director Dr. Kenny Broad.

General admission tickets are $20 and UM student tickets are $10. A $2,000 donation can be made to purchase a shark satellite tag, as well as attend a VIP dinner following the screening. Reservations are are encouraged due to the limited seating. Kindly RSVP to Carla Lovinsky at 305-421-4061 or clovinsky@rsmas.miami.edu.

Guy Harvey Seeds Cultural Change and Prize Money to Promote Catch & Release Shark Tournaments

With shark populations around the world continuing to spiral downward, the result of devastating commercial fishing techniques and an exotic taste for ‘shark-fin soup’, marine scientists such as Dr. Guy Harvey, are working around the clock to give these magnificent animals a fighting chance for survival.

In his latest mission, Dr. Harvey-better known throughout North America and the Caribbean as a celebrated and award-winning marine wildlife artist-has brought his cause into the epicenter of one of the nation’s oldest and largest shark fishing tournaments in Ocean City, Maryland on June 15-19.

Thanks in part to Dr. Harvey’s efforts and a willingness to continue to adapt by the tournament founders and organizers, the Ocean City Shark Tournament‘s cash and prize package payment in the catch and release division has increased to over $15,000.

Last month, the Second Annual Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a catch and release only tournament, was held on the West Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. The tournament-created as a model for catch and release only shark tournament formats-drew some 3,000 competitors and spectators and paid out over $15,000 in cash and prizes.

The Ocean City Shark Tournament will continue to feature two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales.  However, knowing that competitors tend to follow the and pursue whatever division has the biggest payout, tournament directors are looking to make the release division cash and prizes so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will voluntarily opt to release more sharks.

“We applaud the tournament founders and directors for their increased commitment to promote the catch and release of sharks in this summer’s tournament,” said Dr. Harvey. “Our goal is to minimize shark mortalities and maximize educational outreach about shark conservation.”

Earlier this month, Captain Mark Sampson and other directors of the 31st Annual Ocean City Shark Tournament conducted a catch and release clinic to show how to handle sharks in a manner that’s safe for both fish and fishermen.

“To ensure that everyone who releases a shark get the recognition they deserve, in this year’s OC Shark Tournament all fishing teams will have the chance to step into the “Release Pavilion” on the dock at the weigh-ins to have press photos taken and their releases announced to the crowd,” said Sampson. “Anyone who goes out in the tournament and releases a shark deserves recognition, and were going to make sure they get it.”

In 30 years, the Ocean City Shark Tournament has evolved from a small “club” event to one of the largest shark tournaments along the coast.  In the early years, only trophies and new rods and reels were given out to winners.  Last year, more than $142,000 was awarded to the top anglers in the tournament. Over the years, tournament organizers have promoted conservation and have continued to update and fine tune rules to maintain minimum size limits (higher than what government allows fishermen to take) as well a regulate gear.  This year, for example, all fishermen will be required to use circle hooks so that released sharks that won’t qualify for prizes have the best chance for survival. Minimum size limits have also been increased to help keep some of the smaller sharks (that won’t qualify for prizes) from being brought in.  There will also be a daily cash reward for the most sharks released on each of the three fishing days.  A cash reward will also be given out for the most Mako sharks released.

Dr. Harvey, founder of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the internationally regarded Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), in recent years has joined the growing ranks of individuals and organizations calling for strict regulations to ban the commercial fishing of all sharks in The Bahamas. Scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature have estimated that 30 percent of shark and ray species around the world are threatened or near threatened with extinction.  The loss of these animals could cause irreversible damage to the ocean’s ecosystem and result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in the tourist trade.

In related shark conservation activity, Dr. Harvey offered his artistic talent and foundation sponsorship funding in support of the recent Circle Hook Symposium held in Miami. The symposium, hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is an international gathering of scientists, resource managers and constituents convening to discuss the performance and use of circle hooks in commercial, recreational and artisanal fisheries. While it is legal to use a J-hook to fish for sharks, experts such as Dr. Harvey recommend using a circle hook, where the barb points inward and not outward.

Dr. Harvey’s message regarding shark protection initiatives is heard loud and clear in the recently released documentary “This is Your Ocean: Sharks”, co-staring fellow artist Wyland and photographer Jim Abernathy. The 44-minute documentary, which premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival to positive reviews, depicts sharks in their environment capturing both adventure and passion and providing the audience with face-to-face realism never shown before on film.  Click here to view the trailer.

Guy has also released a public service message promoting shark free marinas. Click here to see the new PSA.