chilbal

The entire program can be viewed here on demand

I´m happy to introduce our documentary “Tropical coral Reefs under pressure” in a English version. Original it´s produced in Danish, so to get the program out to a bigger audience, we have translated the program to English Tropical reefs have a unique biodiversity. It is one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet and are home to more than 3,000 different species of fish, 600 species of corals and thousands of other plants and animals. Despite this enormous abundance, the reefs are in danger of vanishing in just a few decades. Climate change directly affects the reefs with coral bleaching and acidification of the sea. The sea gets warmer and the warmer water causes the corals to bleach and die - that together with many local factors like pollution, overfishing and increased tourism push the reefs beyond the border. Scientists say that up to 90% of the world's coral reefs may already have disappeared in 2050. Here is the Intro for the program

Hi oneyellowtang I can assure you, I do not simplify the matter. It maybe so, that the guys you know see a big mortality from the places they get the fish. How long time is it since, he stopped his business? And where did he get his fish from? Here in Denmark at the big aquarium in Copenhagen The Blue Planet, the staff – which we have worked together with for our documentary, the tell me, when they get fish from Kenya and other places there can be a few dead fish out of a consignment of a few hundred – but newer the big numbers that you claim – as the aquarium chief says to me “Then I would never buy fish from such an exporter again” - And there is a very big different on the fish caught with nets or with cyanide. Than we can discus ethical difference between public and private aquarium. But the fish is caught from the same guys, and are exported from the same exporters, so I have to believe that the fish mortality must be the same.

Great that our film has provided an interesting discussion. I find the questions “is it ok to keep fish in aquarium” and “what is the mortality compared to fish in the sea” very interesting – Kdgonzalez the article you link to, with the quote “Estimates suggest that 70 to 90 percent of captured fish die before they ever reach a tank, and more perish within their first six months in captivity”. The article is from 2012 and it seems to me, that the estimate is based on cyanide fishing. The kind of fishing we filmed, where divers caught the fish with nets dos not harm the fish internal organs like cyanide fishing. As I understood the owner of the company in Kenya, they have very little mortality on their fish and as Wolfgang mention – the locals get another kind of awareness for the local reefs. The owner told me a story, about a fisherman who caught a small black tip shark, and he knew that he could get a much better price to sell it to the company instead of selling on the fishmarket. So he filled water in the boat, and swam beside the boat because he was afraid to be together with a shark in his boat. And if that shark can live 10 – 15 years or maybe more in a aquarium and thus inform the public about life in the seas, it´s fine with me. Because I don´t think , as one wrote, that we have enough access to the wild, and therefor don’t need aquariums and zoo´s anymore. The constant relocation to the big cities is moving people further and ´further away from nature.

Coral reef fish is big business. Trade in coral, fish and other marine animals reaches hundreds of millions $ a year. About 98% of coral reef fish cannot be bred in captivity. Therefore, there is a great fishing for living fish. In many places fishermen use the poison cyanide to catch the fish. The diver injects the poison in to the caves, the fish is hiding in, and when the fish is stunt, It’s easy to haul it out. But fish can be damaged by the poison. The cyanide can cause eye damage or damage to the internal organs of the fish. Another consequence is that the surroundings - the coral polyps, the shrimps, the crabs and all the other organisms on the reef are damaged or perhaps even can die from the poison. So it's a very destructive way to catch fish. In our work on a documentary about coral reefs, we had the opportunity to dive with some guys in Kenya, which cast the fish in a sustainable way. Here a little music video from there work.

And then my wife just remember me, that there´s also one big problem on Yeben Island… sand flies and there´s lot of them, and they bite J but can you live with that it´s a great place to visit

Yes we had one week at Yeben. Nice resort, very good diving – and the best divemaster we ever had – and splendid food. However it´s a new resort and the most visitors seem more to fulfill the dream of a Robinson Crusoe island than diving… When we said, we want 3 dives pr day – well that wasn’t use to that. Normally there guest takes one or 2 dives a single day and then have a day off. But we got them up in speed and have our 3 daily dives and it was great – and as I wrote best divemaster and food on our trip Here is a link to a film - it´s both from Kri and Yeben

Sorry for late answer We use Panasonic 7 - 14 mm and Olympus M. Zuiko 12 - 50 I am very satisfied with them

No Im very happy with my habds and fingers as well. It was a GoPro on a stick 😀

Just back from 3 weeks in Raja - best diving we ever have had. Shot on our old GH4 :-)

Hi Do any know Cove Eco Resort on Yeben Island? should be close to Pianemo Island. http://www.coveecoresort.com/ I consider a trip to them in February, so if any know something about diving in that area, I will be greratfull to hear your experiences

Hi Have any of you good people dived at Weda Halmahera in Indonesia? I consider a trip in February with the first stop in Lembeh, and after some days in Lembeh travel on to Weda, but how is the diving there? On the dive center webpage is says that diving is great, but the very few videos and pictures I have found from the area shows another picture, with damage corals and not that many fish or other stuff. So I will really appreciate, if some of you that have visited the area or heard about it other ways, can tell me if it´s a good plan to go out there – or maybe if you have other ideas as an alternative to Weda – offcourse beside Bunaken J Regards Bent

A short video from our trip til Puerto Galera and Apo Reef Enjoy

Thanks Kevster The time lapse is made whir Sony EX1 and Panasonic ag - af 101. The moving time lapse is made whit a 1.5 m. Omnislider.

Iceland is truly amazing - enjoy Bent Chilbal Film