April 22nd – St John Film Kicks Off Reef Fest 2010

Free Movie Night
7:00 pm Thursday April 22nd
Marketplace 3rd Floor, St John

THE LEATHERBACKS OF ST CROIX

a work in progress by Steve Simonsen

St John photographer and filmmaker Steve Simonsen presents his documentary about the conservation of Leatherback sea turtles at Sandy Point Wildlife Refuge on St Croix. Working alongside members of the Fish and Wildlife Service and The West Indies Marine Animal Research and Conservation Service, Steve hopes the film will help raise awareness of the endangered creatures to help protect, recover and sustain the threatened and endangered marine animals of the West Indies.

Come hear Steve tell of his experiences in making this beautiful and moving film.

 

Come hear Steve tell of his experiences in making this beautiful and moving film.

Steve Simonsen is widely known for his breathtaking underwater images. He is the creator of the award winning coffee table book “Living Art, St. John” and a regular contributor to Caribbean Travel & Life, Scuba Diving and Sport Diver magazines among others.  Steve and his wife Janet base their stock photography business, “Marine Scenes”, year round on St John.  Steve also teaches photography and video production classes to high school students. He is passionate about passing on knowledge to the next generation while pursuing his own lifelong desire to make films.

Click on Steve’s image to visit his website.

Click on Steve’s image to visit his website.

Also Screening:

 

SEAS OF CHANGE: Spawning Aggregations in the Virgin Islands

by Tim Kelly and Perry Pickert (28 min) 2006

“In the Virgin Islands, the bond between man and sea is timeless.”

Once huge schools of spawning fish provided a seemingly endless bounty, but today spawning schools are disappearing and fishing grounds are being closed. Fishermen are struggling to preserve their livelihoods, and scientists from the University of the Virgin Islands are racing to understand how these huge schools of spawning fish can restore and maintain fish populations across the Caribbean.

“No fish, no fishery, but how can a fisherman resist a gathering of fish so dense that a good catch is guaranteed?”

In the Virgin Islands, a few years back, not many did. The result: Nassau grouper disappeared. Other species were headed for the same fate, until the government, scientists, and fishermen together decided a little TLC would be a good idea.

LINK: Interview with “Seas of Change” filmmaker

Also Featuring:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN UPDATE ON THE INVASIVE LIONFISH

Presented by Karl Pytlik and Jessica Hornbeck

Click on the image for more information from NOAA.