Real freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization.
- Charles Linbergh
At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterous and unexplorable, that the land and sea be infinitely wild, unserveyed and unfathomable by us because unfathomable... We need to witness our own limits transgressed.
- Henry David Throreau, Walden (1854)
Expeditions into the wild are the heart of Marine Ventures programs. It is where we do our research, where we learn the about the oceans and rivers, where we meet the native people and learn of their customs, where we observe, tag, take data and where we form our conservation ethic. And it is only through these face to face encounters that we can learn the right path for conservation. Not sustainability, not restoration but preservation of those remaining wild places.
Our expeditions focus on three primary ecosystems - open ocean, reefs and flats and coldwater streams in high lattitudes. Each has its own beauty, its own apex predators, its dangers and threats. Our goal is to capture as much data as possible, document what we see and discover and translate that back via the web, print, video to help educate recreational fishermen about what must be done to preserve our wild places.
As part of the dolphin tagging program, MVF also producted a 12 minute documentary that explains the research, tagging techniques and impacts of the work. This video has been used extensively by saltwater fishing clubs on the East Coast to recruit new anglers to the study. Copies of this video are available for educational purposes. Just drop us an email with the name and url of your fishing club. We will be happy to mail you a DVD.
