The Fair Seas environmental group hired Thinkhouse to create a short film about the benefits of a healthy sea for communities around Ireland. Letter From The Sea is a two-hour film released to mark World Oceans Day (June 8th) and EU Oceans Week, along with a scientific report from Fair Seas on the need to increase Ireland’s marine protected areas (MPAs).
Fair Seas is urging the Irish government to designate a minimum of 30 per cent of Irish waters as MPAs by 2030, up from the “wholly inadequate” current figure of two per cent. Tests show that two-thirds of Ireland’s coastal habitats are in a poor condition, with an alarming decline of 90 per cent in the numbers of species such as porbeagles and angel sharks noted.
As well as targeting the general public who may not already have an affinity with the sea or do not reside in a coastal area, the film will be shown to the media and attendees at the UN Oceans Conference, taking place in Lisbon on June 27. In the film, ‘The Sea’ is voiced by Dr Tara Shine, an Irish environmental scientist, policy advisor and science communicator.
Fair Seas is a coalition of environmental NGOs and networks, including Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Sustainable Water Network, Friends of the Irish Environment, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Irish Environmental Network and Coastwatch. It is funded by Oceans 5, Blue Nature Alliance, BFCT and the Wyss Foundation.
To watch Letter From The Sea click on https://youtu.be/KfWOzkJTIZg.
Read the Fair Seas report here
Picture shows the work of sand artist Sean Corcoran at Kilmurrin Beach in Co Waterford
