Sea Strike animation generates awareness of human impact on the Ocean
"Sea Strike" by MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VTlSkqoAh4
MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy, in Cork recently released a short fun animation with a message of significant impact, reminding us about our engagement with the ocean. With the opening statement "what has the sea ever done for us?" the film reports on 'the sea threatening to take strike action and was last seen heading to the moon disillusioned by how it was being treated on Earth'
Highlighting the importance of learning more about the ocean, Ciaran Kelly, policy, innovation and research manager at the Marine Institute congratulated the project team on the short film. "It is a novel animation which reminds us of how we all enjoy the benefits from the ocean both socially and economically, directly and indirectly; yet the film also provides a stark reminder of the fact that the ocean is not an infinite resource".
As an island nation, Ireland has a marine area that is ten times the size of its land area above the sea, and the majority of Ireland's population lives with 50km of the ocean. With a humorous element added to the short film, it demonstrates how we rely on the ocean for food and that over 50% of the oxygen we breathe came from marine plants in the ocean called phytoplankton. The ocean also supports many industries from fishing, aquaculture to energy and is a means for trade and transport, as well as providing us with the benefits of social and leisure activities generating a significant tourism trade.
Shared via social media, the film simply conveys information on complex scientific issues such as climate change and marine pollution it engages its audience in a way that relates to their everyday lives around the world and in Ireland. "To 'bring back the ocean', the film reminds us of our rich maritime heritage in Ireland. It promotes how taking small actions can create big impacts, from getting involved in beach cleans, to being aware of how we shop, as well as supporting research and innovation, can all improve the impacts on the ocean resource," Kelly further said.
Supporting the national government strategy Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – an integrated marine plan for Ireland, along with the objectives of the EU Blue Growth Strategy and EU Strategy for the Atlantic focusing on ocean literacy, the Marine Institute has provided modest grants to a number of organisations to complete film projects about the ocean. The 2016 pilot media award grants for producing film pieces relevant to ocean literacy were also provided to:
- Dearcán Media - John Philip Holland Documentary, English translation
- Scannáin Inbhear - Bringing the "Atlantic" documentary to the classroom
- University College Cork - Oceans of Life Animation
The animation "Sea Strike" was made with the support from the MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy and a Marine Institute Ocean Awareness Grant.
The Marine Institute is Ireland's national research agency for marine research, technology development and innovation, and is responsible for promoting the sustainable development of Ireland's resource through coordinated and focused research, leading to sound and accurate management advice for the Government, industry and the EU.
ENDS