This time last year I was totally daunted. We were about to head off to Costa Rica with a million bucks on the line, and with
the heady goal of make an epic TV series about conservation.
Never could we have guessed how things would turn out for ’The Operatives’! So many challenges—drama,s failures, heartache. Equally though, we kicked some ass, and what emerged is a really compelling TV series that we hope will set a benchmark for issue-based television.
The best thing for me is the variety of issues. We tackled shark finning, illegal fishing in Marine Protected Areas, Iilegal gold
mining in National Parks, turtle poaching and seal clubbing.
We finished editing a couple weeks ago. It airs in New Zealand shortly, and will roll out around the world over the next 12
months.
There were so many other highlights from this last year. Whalefest in UK
was outstanding. It is emerging as an important event in the conservation
calendar. It is one of the rare occasions where scientists, activists, NGOs,
and tourism operators with an interest in cetaceans all gather together and
hatch cunning plans.
I was also vey lucky to get to The Hague for the historic court case and verdict over Japanese whaling in Antarctica. In many ways it was like a closure
on the whaling issue for me .
I continue to be humbled by the number of people of all ages and backgrounds that decide to do something amazing for the oceans through volunteering their time and expertise with Earthrace.
“Me and the crew from
In particular, to the incredible individuals that look after all the different Earthrace
Earthrace UK (and the
groups around the world—thank you for all you do!
legendary Ingrid Visser) at
Whale Fest 2014”
Hanging out at
Southlands School, NZ
“Kids ask the trickiest
questions!”
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