SHARKWATER EXPEDITION SUCCESS IN BVI

Team Sharkwater completed filming and baseline research through the expedition in the British Virgin Islands. A Special thank you to Sir Richard Branson who joined us diving from his beautiful island, Necker, and amazing organizer Lauren Keil from Unite BVI, who helped coordinate all the government ministries and film commission. Our hope for the trip is to provide research to add further shark protections and more protected marine areas in the Caribbean, something Sir Richard Branson and Rob Stewart campaigned tirelessly for. At the St Maarten Conference, they outlined how sharks migrate thousands of miles and to protect these beautiful creatures, we must provide safe passage through many countries.

The British Virgin Islands are a beautiful location to work in; our heartfelt thank you to all participants, we couldn’t have done it without you!

With a baseline for research, we’ll be back next year to do more research for sharks, the oceans and more protections.

Our international crew is now safe back home, but it was a rush to repatriate before the travel bans were put into place. Some were already under travel bans, but were invaluable in organizing and planning and there in spirit.

Filipe DeAndrade (Director of Photography, National Geographic Host and Producer), Regi Domingo (Nakawe Project, Filmmaker), Larry Curtis (Cinematographer), Pam Eichner (Actor), Renee Capozzola (Award-winning underwater photographer), Alex Antoniou (Fins Attached, Research), Will Allen (Cinematographer), Randall Arauz, Mauricio Hoyos (Research), and so many more, we can’t name them all.

COVID-19

Please stay safe: avoid crowds, practice social distancing, wash your hands, take government suggestions seriously. We all hope the COVID-19 crisis ends soon, so you and your families, friends and our Sharkwater teammates and everyone working for a better future can be safe, get back to work, get your kids get back to school and the world returns to normal.

Our team continues to work through this crisis remotely and all our services will continue.

Thank you for being part of our community.

‘SHARKWATER’ EXPEDITION TO BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CONTINUES THE MISSION OF ROB STEWART

Actor Hayden Panettiere join Fins Attached and Team Sharkwater to protect and advocate for shark sanctuaries.

Sir Richard Branson to join expedition during stop at Necker Island.

February 25, 2020, (Denver) ..The Sharkwater, a 134-foot research vessel named in honour of late filmmaker and activist Rob Stewart, will head out March 1st for a special 1075 nm expedition from Fort Lauderdale through the Bahamas to the British Virgin Islands. Operated by international conservation group, Fins Attached, the Sharkwater is used regularly to conduct marine research and surveys of sharks and coral reefs as well as to promote ocean protection initiatives critical for the survival of the planet.

The Science Team from Fins Attached will be joined by members of Team Sharkwater, along with passionate ocean advocates including Sir Richard Branson and actor Hayden Panettiere.

“The ocean is so important to me, to all of us – and I will keep telling anyone that will listen (and those that won’t) that we need to protect it.” Sir Richard Branson.

A production team led by some of the world’s leading cinematographers will travel to the British Virgin Islands to research and dive with sharks and groupers, through major reef formations around the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda as well as out islands like Mosquito and Necker, where Sir Richard Branson will join for a tour of the Island and to discuss research initiatives.

“The Sharkwater vessel, owned and operated by Fins Attached, is a constant reminder of what Rob Stewart stood for,” says Alex Antoniou, Founder & CEO of Fins Attached. “Conducting this expedition in The BVIs, with such incredible people and partners, is important for the continued protection of the shark sanctuary of The BVIs and all other endangered marine animals.”

Rob Stewart was a biologist, activist, and renowned filmmaker. His three internationally award-winning films, Sharkwater (2006), Revolution (2012), and Sharkwater Extinction (2018) garnered worldwide attention for issues affecting our oceans. Sharkwater brought the devastating practice of shark finning to the world stage, galvanizing a movement and spawning hundreds of conservation groups. In January 2017, while shooting Sharkwater Extinction, Stewart tragically died in a dive accident off the Florida Keys. His parents, Brian and Sandy Stewart, have dedicated themselves to continuing Rob’s mission, completing his final film and establishing the Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation, committed to raising awareness and inspiring the world to save sharks and protect the oceans.

“Rob worked tirelessly to protect sharks and educate people on the importance of these misunderstood apex predators,” said Brian and Sandy Stewart. “Although the planet is in a perilous state, Rob would say there is still hope and if we all work together we can create the positive change necessary for the future of all species in our oceans, and on earth – we need a world in balance with nature if the planet is to survive. Rob spoke at several Caribbean conferences to advocate for more marine protected zones for sharks.”

For more information about partnerships and to participate in the 2020 Expedition, contact Dr. Alex Antoniou at alex@finsattached.org, or call (719) 499-9117.

For Interview opportunities
Contact: carrie@carriewolfe.com, 416-738-5565

The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation
www.robstewartsharkwaterfoundation.org

For photos and materials:
Sharkwater Extinction Media Materials

Follow Sharkwater on Social Media:
Instagram: @teamsharkwater
Twitter: @teamsharkwater
Facebook: @sharkwater

About Rob Stewart & The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation:
The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation was created to ensure that Rob’s mission to save the world’s sharks and oceans continues. The Foundation will work with leading shark and ocean conservation groups around the world, as well as top scientists, researchers and educational institutions. Among the organizations that have partnered or supported Rob Stewart’s work are Blue Sphere Media, Code Blue Foundation, CREMA, EarthSense Foundation, FinFree, Fins Attached, Hong Kong Shark Association, HSI, HSUS, LUSH Cosmetics, Mercy for Animals, Nakawe Project, Ocean Ark Alliance, Ocean Elders, Oceana, PangeaSeed, Pew Foundation, Project Aware, Project 0, Save Our Seas, The SeaChange Agency, Sea Legacy, Sea Shepherd, Shark Angels, SOS, Turtle Island Restoration, United Conservationists, Virgin Unite, Virgin Ocean Unite, WildAid and WWF. www.robstewartsharkwaterfoundation.org.

About Fins Attached:

Fins Attached conducts research, promotes conservation and provides education for the protection of marine ecosystems.  Fins Attached believes in the preservation of our world's precious resources and that through the protection of the ocean's apex predators, marine ecosystem balance can be maintained for the benefit of all living things on earth. The organization is comprised of scientists, companies, organizations, and people concerned with the health of the world’s oceans. The scientists that represent Fins Attached range in backgrounds from divers to Ph.D. marine biologists. Fins Attached is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. www.finsattached.org.

Thank you to our partners, sponsors and supporters :

January 31st marks the day three years ago when the world lost celebrated filmmaker and biologist Rob Stewart during a tragic scuba diving accident.
Rob was a Hero; an activist for the sharks and an advocate for the oceans; a friend to many, brother, son, uncle, yogi.

Rob Stewart dreamed of seeing a #finfree world and he has been credited for saving one-third of the world’s sharks since the release of his 2006 award-winning film Sharkwater.

In 2018, Rob’s close friends and family completed his final film Sharkwater Extinction, which he was in the midst of filming on that day in 2017.

Since the film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, it has won 47 awards around the world and continues to score 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2018, using footage Rob shot for Sharkwater Extinction, the California Legislature passed a bill to ban drift net fishing, which killed not only sharks, but sea turtles, whales, sea lions and many more marine mammals.

In 2019, the Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation was formed to continue his mission. The Foundation launched the SharkFree campaign to work with cosmetic and personal care product companies in an effort to remove shark liver oil, known as squalene, from their products.

As of 2019, Canada banned the import and export of shark fin. Canada was the largest importer of shark fins outside of Asia.

In January 2020, New Jersey became the latest state to sign a law banning the sale of shark fins. More than 85 countries have banned shark finning, and the U.S. has banned the sales of shark fin in 17 states and territories.

CITES votes to protect Makos in 2019, as well as 18 species of rays and sharks by adding them to their endangered list. The warm-blooded Makos are the fastest sharks in the world.

In November 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, which would prohibit the sales of shark fins, and the bill has moved on to a vote in the Senate.

Together, we have done so much, but the fight to save the world’s sharks continues.

Sharkwater Extinction demonstrated how shark ingredients have been introduced into our everyday household cosmetics, pet food and fertilizers. The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation continues to work to keep sharks off the shelves, and out of our cosmetics.

Rob partnered with many people and groups in his quest to save sharks and we know he was deeply grateful for all your support. Thank You!

If Rob’s work inspires you, please join us at the Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation. Together, we will bring more positive changes.

#GivingTuesday is a new global movement dedicated to giving back.

This year #GivingTuesday takes place on December 3, 2019. And we have a special donor who will match the donation you make today! Doubling your effort!

Rob Stewart discovered that sharks are not only beautiful, but they’re important and necessary for our environment. Sharks keep our largest and most important ecosystem healthy. Our existence is largely dependent upon theirs. Sharks have sat atop the oceans’ food chain, keeping our seas healthy for millions of years. And the oceans produce more oxygen than all the rainforests combined, remove half of the atmosphere’s manmade carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas), and control our planet’s temperature and weather.

 That’s why this Giving Tuesday, you can make a difference not only in a shark’s life but for all of human life on Earth.We can do so much thanks to your support. This GivingTuesday and every day, we appreciate all you do to help save sharks.

Click here to donate to this worthy cause.

We were thrilled to be in San José for the Costa Rican premiere of Sharkwater Extinction on (Nov. 27). United Conservationists, FinFree, Team Sharkwater, conservation groups and the Department of Fisheries all joined us to celebrate the film’s release.

Costa Rica is one of the hot spots for shark finning and distribution. 

In 2012, President Chinchilla signed for banning shark finning but people found a loophole that as long the fin is still attached to the body, it's considered legal. People starting to kill sharks on the dock while only leaving the fins and spinal columns. The viable illegal market is still going on.   

United Conservationists and FinFree will continue to work with the government on more shark protections. We have accomplished so much and still needed everyone's help, please donate and help us fight with the injustice towards sharks and our ocean.

Sharks desperately need your help today and everyday. So do we.

Click here to donate to this worthy cause.

The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation continues Rob’s mission of education and awareness, through the Shark Free Campaign, widespread distribution of his films, use of content creation for film, TV, online, multi-media and widespread social media, work with NGOs and other organizations focused on like-minded initiatives.

We are seeking experienced, highly-skilled Executive Director of Business Operations and Strategic Initiatives to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing the entire foundation’s activities and will report directly to the board. You will lead a diverse team of passionate leaders to ensure that our organization is meeting its goals and objectives efficiently and reliably. You will be an outstanding collaborator and problem solver who can use data, business acumen and leadership to drive the foundation forward across multiple functions. You will be energized by a fast-paced environment and excited about working with both strategic and tactical issues.

For more information please click here to Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation.

For a limited time LUSH has brought back their popular Shark Fin Soap for World Oceans Day. The blue wave-shaped bars adorned with a shark fin cost just 5.95 and are available across North America. This limited edition soap sells out quickly, so shop now in Canada or the U.S.

100% of the proceeds from LUSH’s Shark Attack and Healthy Oceans campaigns will go to support shark conservation, facilitating shark fin bans globally, and save the world’s oceans.

An estimated 100 million sharks are killed by humans every year – that’s over 11,000 every hour. Cruel and careless practices such as longline fishing have led to a 90% drop in shark populations in just 30 years – an unsustainable rate of decline that is turning apex predators into ghost stories and having a decimating impact on our oceans’ ecosystems. Many sharks are used for various products we don’t even realize contain shark, and more still are mutilated for their fins and then tossed back into the water to suffocate or be eaten alive. Now is the time to turn the tide on the demand for sharks – to stop consuming products that use sharks, and to call for a worldwide ban on all longline fishing and the possession of shark fins. 

Take the pledge to join this effort to #SaveSharks, stop the #SharkAttack, and go #FinFree today:

In Canada: www.lushusa.com/sharkattack
In French Canada: www.lush.ca/fr/attaquesderequins
In the U.S.: www.lush.ca/sharkattack

Rob Stewart's New Movie Coming this Fall

We’re thrilled to announce that Rob’s latest movie is nearly finished and will be launching shortly.

Ahead of its release, the production team has launched an exclusive teaser and you get to see it first. Watch a sneak peek.