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About Me

I am an avid marine conservationist who uses digital media and my ability as an underwater cinematographer to bring awareness of marine issues to the public. The world's ocean is in dire need of protection and it is critical that the average public understands what is happening. Using digital media I create videos that demonstrate what is going on underwater. Using my affiliation to various marine conservation groups like Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of BC and the Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society, i can get the message out. I also actively lobby government to create marine sanctuaries.

Location:
Canada, North Vancouver
Current organization:
Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of BC
Past organizations:
Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society
Current role:
President
Gender:
Male
Areas of expertise:
Marine Environment, Digital media, Underwater Cinematographer
I am:
Activist, Change Agent, Environmentalist, Filmmaker, Journalist, Photographer, Sales specialist, Social entrepreneur, World traveler, Writer/Editor
Languages:
English, Dutch
My website links:
UWVIDEO1
Universities:
British Columbia Institute of Technolog, Fanshawe College, Canada
Member Picture

More About Me

I'm passionate about

I am a fish sympathizer. They may not be cute and fuzzy, yet they represent where the birth of life on this planet started. We are not doing enough to protect the ocean.

An idea worth spreading

Create Marine Sanctuaries the same way that land based reserves protect the diversity of species on the planet. The world is covered in water and we protect less than 1% of it. It is time to change that and save the extinction of numerous marine species.

Talk to me about

Underwater video, diving, marine conservation, the failure of the first past the post political system, the ocean, animals, photography, digital media production, photography, sailing, skiing,

People don't know that I'm good at

Scuba diving, sailing, skiing, kayaking, acoustic consulting, editing, underwater videography, still photography, swimming, media, journalism, public speaking

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +0.40 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +1

    A comment on Conversation: If you have discovered something you are passionate about, how did you discover that thing?

    Nov 5 2011: I am passionate about fish and the marine environment. I still remember getting my first mask at about 5 years old and being able to see clearly underwater. For years I tried to talk my father into joining me and he always was reluctant to put a mask on. I settled it by giving him a mask and snorkel for his birthday. He put it on his face and saw his first fish and was instantly hooked. That winter he asked if I would like to join him and take the Canadian Armed Forces Scuba Course. He was the oldest in the class and I was the youngest. That was 37 years ago and today I find myself president of the Marine Life Sanctuaries Society and an avid underwater videographer and fish sympathizer.
    I never tire of diving and what I have seen happen to the ocean in front of my own eyes, has motivated me to devote my life to stewarding the ocean and enlightening people on what is there to be seen and taken care of.

  • A comment on Conversation: Will a voluntary citizen based campaign work to protect the ocean? If so, what can be done?

    Jun 13 2011: @Julie Ann, You seem to think that the UN has some sort of legal ability to apply laws and protection. Unfortunately this is not the case. there are vast areas of the ocean that have no connection to any countries jurisdiction. We currently protect less than 1% of the world's oceans. We cannot rely on our governments to implement protection in time to stop the world's fish stocks to fully collapse. We have already done an incredible amount of damage. Ocean acidification and global warming are threatening the ocean and everything in it. I'm afraid you have a false sense of confidence in the UN Convention.
    The only solution is for people to act locally and join local marine conservation initiatives.

  • A reply on Conversation: Wealth and power have been our conventional measures of success. What definition will better sustain us now and how can we move into it?

    Jun 1 2011: Our gauge of wealth has to change from money to planetary health. The trouble is that we are big trainable monkeys and our trainers have convinced us that it is all about wealth. I would argue that innovation and creativity have driven progress. In the current monetary based system all this does is create more destructive practices.
    I suggest looking into alternate monetary systems like a demmurage currency. It is a currency that devalues over time and is only valid for a short period (like 5 years). It would not allow hoarding or accumulation by individuals and would become a working currency. Look for a book called "On Human Wealth, Beyond Scarcity and Greed".

  • A comment on Conversation: Wealth and power have been our conventional measures of success. What definition will better sustain us now and how can we move into it?

    Jun 1 2011: The best accomplishment anyone can make is to live sustainably and devote their life to enlightening individuals and groups about ways to improve the world. It's not about money. We have a very small window to address the key issues like overpopulation and destructive practices (overfishing, dirty industry like oil, mining, etc...). Our economic system does not serve us well. We need to design a system that takes a cradle to grave approach to manufacturing, clean-up previous environmental disasters and create political systems that actually work for the planet.
    I have spent the last 20 years of my life volunteering on marine conservation initiatives. I have discovered that this isn't enough and have left the corporate world to take on these issues on a full-time basis. I have never felt more on track or happy.
    Individuals that are affecting positive change for the planet are more important than ones working on achieving personal or financial goals. We have to take a more planetary centric point of view. It is one planet that we all share. No one owns the resources. This is a construct created by greedy individuals that are more about power than planetary health.

  • A reply on Talk: Brian Skerry reveals ocean's glory -- and horror

    Apr 19 2011: I am an underwater videographer. Believe me, the environment that we work in is hostile and requires a high degree of training and ability to even be there. It is not a cushy hotel or the comfortable desk you are sitting at writing your ridiculous comments Gabriel.

  • A comment on Talk: Brian Skerry reveals ocean's glory -- and horror

    Apr 19 2011: Mr. Skerry brings up some very valid points. It disappoints me to see the comments list hijacked by someone who obviously is more upset about her social status than the issue. The bottom line here is that the ocean is in trouble. I have logged thousands of dives in the ocean and have seen the destruction in person. It cost me a fortune on dive equipment and underwater video gear to bring images to the public so they understand and see first hand what is happening. I worked hard to be able to do this and am proud that I have the socio-economic status to be able to use my tools to show what is happening.
    If we continue on the path we are on, the ocean will cease to sustain us anymore. We need to stop invasive non-sustainable fishing techniques and educate people in proper consumption. It's time to move past the destructive practices of the past and utilize our current knowledge to benefit the ocean rather than to predate the creatures out of existence.
    I suspect that none of the negative comments come from anyone who has actually worked in ocean conservation. Perhaps before you comment, you may want to participate and learn for yourself, before leaving ignorant comments based on pure opinion with no real world experiences.

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