Sharjah24: Five celebrated underwater photographers who have witnessed the beauty and the devastation happening across all ocean ecosystems have rallied the call to ‘Save our Oceans’ at the opening panel discussion of Xposure International Photography Festival’s debut Conservation Summit, held at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Held in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, the panel session titled ‘Saving Our Oceans’ – also the theme of the Conservation Summit, sought to explore solutions for preserving and protecting the marine ecosystem. 
National Geographic explorers Brian Skerry, David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Jeffrey Garriock, and Laurent Ballesta, participated in the discussion moderated by Kathy Moran, former Deputy Director of Photography at National Geographic. 

“Everything on earth is connected and we need to have a better understanding of these connections to know how human actions or inactions impact our planet. With good science and good storytelling, we can move in the right direction,” stressed Brian Skerry at the opening seminar.  

The celebrated photojournalist said that to save marine life, it was imperative for people to learn and understand how important the ocean is for human existence. “People must know that we have to protect 30-40 per cent of the oceans for our survival - and we are only at near 5 per cent. Our actions today will impact seven generations down the road, and we must proceed cautiously.”
“The oceans are finite and very fragile,” said pioneering underwater photographer, David Doubilet, dispelling the common belief that the oceans are infinite. He discussed how the sharks he had photographed in Indonesia years ago have disappeared.

“We are looking at an ocean that has been affected by human population. The sharks have turned up in endless bowls of shark fin soup,” he said.

Pointing out that about 12% of the fish catch goes for secondary use as pet food, Doubilet emphasised: “The big question is to know how this ecosystem works. We need tools; we need vision; we need to look at what the ocean really is.”
Discussing the iconic species affected by climate change, aquatic biologist Jennifer Hayes highlighted how decreasing ice was impacting the chances of survival and reproduction of harp seals. “They are literally having to chase ice and may lose that population entirely.”

“If people could see what they are doing to the ocean, how we harm it, our actions would be different,” noted Hayes, suggesting that the invisibility of life below water was a challenge in conservation efforts.  

Canadian photographer and cinematographer, Jeffrey Garriock, discussed his experiences of witnessing the creation of a marine-protected area in Mozambique and called for more similar initiatives while French nature photographer, Laurent Ballesta, shared his experience of going to the depths of the sea where no one had ventured previously. “I found treasures of an extraordinary biodiversity that I never knew existed,” he said. 

Organised by Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), Xpsoure 2022 continues its run at Expo Centre Sharjah until Tuesday, February 15.