I was honoured to donate some coral reef stock footage for Naomi Longa’s film which was presented at the Whitley Fund for Nature Awards ceremony on the 1st May 2024.
The film was produced by Lily Moffat at Silverback Films and narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
Naomi and her NGO won one of the charity’s flagship prizes – often referred to as ‘Green Oscars’. These are won competitively each year. Following a worldwide search, applications are assessed by an expert judging panel. In addition to £40,000 in project funding over one year, the awards provide profile and training.
Naomi and her NGO – Seawomen of Melanesia – are dedicated to providing Melanesian women with the training, skills, equipment, and resources they need to take an active role in helping coastal communities create and manage marine protected areas on their coral reefs
WITH HER WHITLEY AWARD, NAOMI WILL:
- Create 4 new LMMAs with the local communities, expanding their coverage around Kimbe Bay
- Engage and train 10 women in 5 local villages to monitor coral reefs
- Establish a local marine conservation committee in each of the communities, with equal representation of men and women
- Reduce destructive fishing practices such as dynamite and overfishing, and drive a transition towards sustainable practices such as no-take zones, selective fishing gear and traditional methods like spear and handlines
- Provide a blueprint for similar, women-led initiatives to enable the replication of this work across the Eastern Coral Triangle
You can support Naomi and her team here