News
The International Ocean Film Festival is Coming to the UK

UK audiences will be able to immerse themselves in the wonders of the ocean without getting their feet wet as the International Ocean Film Festival hits theatres for the first time this autumn. The festival, which originates in Australia, will feature a selection of the world’s most captivating ocean-themed short films and will be shown in 17 towns and cities across the UK.
Designed to mesmerise and enthral, the International Ocean Film Festival showcases more than two hours of sublime footage taken above and below the water’s surface. The films document the beauty and power of the ocean, and celebrate the divers, surfers, swimmers and oceanographers who live for the sea’s salt spray; who chase the crests of waves; and who marvel at the mysteries of the big blue.
Project AWARE, one of the Ocean Film Festival UK Tour environmental partners, has a shared positive vision for the future of the ocean. Each of the festival’s films conveys a deep respect and appreciation for the world’s oceans and the creatures that call them home.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the Ocean Film Festival Australia earlier this year so we’re really excited to have another opportunity to be a conservation partner of this awe-inspiring film festival.” says Domino Albert, Project AWARE Manager and New Media Specialist. “We encourage all divers and ocean lovers to book a ticket now. Let the Ocean Film Festival UK Tour inspire you to further explore, respect, enjoy and protect our ocean.”
Heart-stopping shots of surfers riding wild waves and jawsome scenes of divers swimming with white sharks will leave audiences on the edges of their seats. The films also encourage viewers to dive head first into ocean culture as the festival is filled with touching interviews and insightful narrations from the characters whose lives are inspired by the ocean.
A selection of 2014 highlights include:
And Then We Swam
In May 2010, two British friends set off to row across the Indian Ocean in a second hand boat. Having zero rowing experience, they signed up for an organised race – only to find that a lack of entrants meant that there would be no support boat. After 116 grueling days at sea, the duo was within 8km of the finishing line when disaster struck. An incredible story of adventure, foolhardiness and survival.
Duct tape surfing
Eighteen years ago, a car accident left Pascale Honore paralysed from the waist down. Fascinated by the ocean, Pascale dreamed of being able to surf. With the help of a roll of duct tape and with the support of her sons’ friend Tyron Swan, a big wave surfer and professional diver, Pascale’s dream eventually became a reality. Share in her joy.
Sportlife Saga: Water
Follow world champion free-diver Guillaume Néry deep below the water’s surface as he transforms the sport of freediving into an art. Now a world-record holder, Guillaume reaches depths of more than 100m and can stay below the surface for more than seven minutes at a time. His forays into the big blue will leave you breathless. (Image © Julie Gautier)
2014 UK Tour Dates are as follows:
- 4 September Truro, Hall for Cornwall
- 6 September Porthcawl, Grand Pavilion
- 13 September Whitley Bay, Playhouse
- 16 September London, Conway Hall
- 17 September London, Conway Hall
- 19 September Brighton, Brighton Dome (Corn Exchange)
- 20 September Llandudno, Venue Cymru (The Hall)
- 23 September Portsmouth, Kings Theatre
- 24 September Leeds, The Carriageworks
- 25 September Edinburgh, The Queen’s Hall
- 27 September Inverness, Eden Court (Empire Theatre)
- 1 October Exeter, Corn Exchange
- 2 October Bath, The Komedia
- 3 October Poole, The Lighthouse
- 11 October Bristol, Victoria Rooms (Bristol University)
- 17 October Cambridge, Lady Mitchell Hall (Cambridge University)
- 28 October Malvern, Forum Theatre
- 30 October Birmingham, Crescent Theatre
The 2014 International Ocean Film Festival UK Tour will donate 25 pence from every ticket sold to Project AWARE.
Here’s a trailer for the Festival:
[youtube id=”DN-8Rs9-TJo” width=”100%” height=”400px”]
For Tickets and information, go to www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk. You can ‘like’ the Festival’s Facebook page here and follow the Festival on Twitter here.
Main photo taken from the film ‘The Giant and the Fisherman’
News
Insurance for all with Westfield Sub Aqua and Marine Insurance Services

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Marine Life & Conservation
Building a Bluer Future for Indonesia’s Marine Tourism Industry

Green Fins National Workshop Charts Roadmap for Sustainable Marine Tourism Initiatives
Green Fins, the global environmental standards for diving and snorkelling, is set to contribute to Indonesia’s blue economy. A national workshop, focused on “Enabling a sustainable diving and snorkelling industry in Indonesia through the implementation of Green Fins initiative,” has ignited a collaborative effort to safeguard the nation’s marine ecosystems through marine tourism.
The Reef-World Foundation, the UNEP Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) held the Green Fins National Workshop in Aryaduta Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia, on 18 – 19 February 2025. This pivotal event, supported by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) through the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), brought together key stakeholders from the Indonesian government, marine tourism industry, conservation organisations and the global Green Fins network to develop a roadmap for strengthening the Green Fins initiative in Indonesia and to explore sustainable financing mechanisms for its long-term implementation.
Participants from five Indonesian ministries, including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, collaborated with local MPA management bodies, dive operators and international experts to chart a course for a more environmentally responsible marine tourism sector. This diverse group engaged in focused discussions and strategic planning, addressed key aspects of Green Fins implementation and explored opportunities for its integration into national marine conservation efforts.
“We’re not just discussing sustainability”, said JJ Harvey, Operations Director at The Reef-World Foundation. “We’re creating a tangible roadmap for action. The energy and collaboration at this workshop have been truly inspiring, laying the groundwork for real, measurable change in Indonesia’s dive industry and unlocking the full potential of its marine tourism while ensuring the future health of its reefs.”
“The Coral Triangle, as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, relies on Indonesia’s leadership to combat threats through strong coral reef conservation and sustainable tourism practices,” said Rili Djohani, CTC Executive Director. “Expanding Green Fins and scaling up training efforts are crucial steps toward ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and long-term conservation impact of our unique marine resources.”
“Sustainable Blue Economy is at the forefront of COBSEA’s work on marine and coastal ecosystems,” stated Mahesh Pradhan, UNEP COBSEA Coordinator. “Ensuring sustainable practices in marine ecotourism in Indonesia and the East Asian Seas region will further consolidate concrete conservation efforts while also benefiting local communities. COBSEA is proud to support the Green Fins initiative, which was initiated in Thailand over 20 years ago and has now blossomed into a significant global movement.”
Key discussions and explorations during the workshop included:
- Alignment of Green Fins with national policies and international commitments, including the Indonesia 2030/45 MPA Vision, the national biodiversity action plan (NBSAP) and international commitments such as the Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Exploration of a comprehensive roadmap for Green Fins implementation in Indonesia, outlining potential steps, timeline and financial strategies.
- Discussions on diverse financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, blended finance models, and integration with existing programmes, to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Green Fins.
- Emphasis on enhanced collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and conservation organisations.
- A strong focus on inclusivity, including gender-inclusive approaches and support for small-scale businesses.
The workshop highlighted Indonesia’s position as a global leader in MPA-based diving, with 70% of dives occurring within MPAs. Discussions emphasised the need to address challenges such as revenue leakage and high implementation costs while leveraging opportunities to integrate Green Fins into existing government initiatives, such as the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries’ Blue Economy strategy and the Ministry of Tourism’s sustainable tourism programmes. Participants also engaged in a learning exchange, sharing best practices from countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand, focusing on developing sustainable funding models and enhancing assessor capacity.
The outcomes of this workshop will both strengthen Green Fins Indonesia and contribute to the broader global impact, driving sustainable marine tourism worldwide.
Discover how your organisation can contribute to the global expansion of Green Fins by contacting info@greenfins.net.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Please visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses, such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.
Please visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Coral Triangle Center
Coral Triangle Center (CTC) is a foundation based in Indonesia with regional scope and global impact. Established in 2010, CTC works closely with local communities, private sector, governments, and partners to strengthen marine resource management in the Coral Triangle to protect coral reef ecosystems, ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security.
CTC supports on-the-ground conservation in Bali, Maluku, as well as in Timor-Leste, and leads learning networks of women leaders and marine protected area practitioners in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. CTC is developing its Center for Marine Conservation in Bali as an integrated learning space for training programs, outreach activities, interactive exhibits, and artistic and cultural performances to influence millions of people to care for our oceans and those who depend on it.
Since its establishment in 2010 until 2024, CTC has protected more than 435,000 hectares of critical marine habitat. We have trained more than 8,000 people to support marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries management throughout the Coral Triangle region. More than 26,000 people have visited our Center for Marine Conservation, many of whom have been inspired to take direct action to protect our oceans. In the last three years, we reach an average of 200,000 people annually to care for our seas via our social media channels.
About UNEP COBSEA
The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) is a regional intergovernmental mechanism and one of 18 Regional Seas Programmes. It is the decision-making body for the East Asian Seas Action Plan, bridging together nine countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet Nam – in the protection and sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment for the health and well-being of present and future generations. The COBSEA Secretariat is hosted by Thailand in Bangkok and is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
COBSEA works on 1) marine pollution prevention, reduction and control, 2) marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management, and 3) climate action.
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