Cunha and HMB High environment clubs present four films about oceans

Cunha and HMB High’s environmental clubs screen four documentary films about the oceans Friday night at 7pm.  As one of the five spheres of the global environment the oceans play a dominant role in stabilizing life on Earth. Attendees will learn about the ocean’s role as a major and distinct source for biodiversity, natural resources, food and recreation, and how daily human activities are affecting this remarkable natural realm.

Click "read more" for information about these films

HANGING IN THE BALANCE   chronicles a network of Marine Protected Areas and their impact on the Bahamian marine environments and the people who depend on them. Hanging in the Balance, produced by San Francisco’s Friday’s Films, is a refreshing story of hope in the struggle to save the worlds oceans told through the voices and lives of the fishermen of The Bahamas. Discover the majestic underwater world of The Bahamas and learn the truth about the future of the world’s oceans from the people who have spent their lives on the sea.

SEEDS OF THE FUTURE highlights the survival of species and the lives of the people of Fiji. For millennia, fish have gathered in certain places to spawn. Why are these particular places important for both the fish and the fishing communities?  And why are both under threat?  This 18 minute film was co-produced by Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations and San Francisco-based Friday’s Films. *

OUR SYNTHETIC SEA documents the research conducted by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation in the Pacific Ocean, tracing groundbreaking sampling from Hawaii, the North Central Pacific Gyre, and the California coastline. of the exponential buildup of “non-biodegradable” plastic debris in the world’s ocean.

EMPTY OCEANS, EMPTY NETS - The Race To Save Our Marine Fisheries” explores the marine fisheries crisis and the pioneering efforts of fishermen, scientists and communities to sustain and restore these fisheries and our oceans. Understanding why some fisheries are thriving while most are in serious decline may be the key to averting an impending food crisis.  Produced by Habitat Media, stunning images reveal the immense volume and diversity of fish caught in a seemingly limitless ocean, and document an ever-growing, high-tech fishing effort that yields over a hundred million metric tons of seafood each year. These marine fisheries provide food, income and employment for 200 million people worldwide, but how long can the massive hunt be sustained?

*Producers of these films, Perry Pickert and/or Tim Kelly, will be present to discuss the films.

For more information, contact Ben Pittenger at (650) 712-7190, or [email protected]

WHAT:        OCEAN MOVIE NIGHT at Cunha Intermediate School

WHEN:        Friday. March 11, 2005,  7:00 PM

WHERE:      Multipurpose Room, Cunha Middle School, 600 Church Street, Half Moon Bay

Admission is free.  Donations are encouraged. Refreshments provided.