ENTANGLED IN COSTA RICA

Many marine animals like whales, sea turtles, dolphins and thousands of other species get accidentally entangled in industrial and recreational fishing gear.

It is a growing problem and it is estimated that over 300.000 whales and dolphins die due to entanglement every year. The animals drown or starve to death and suffer from traumas and infections from the lines that are cutting in their flesh.

Did you know that lost and abandoned fishing gear is killing several millions of marine life every year?

This fishing gear also includes gill nets and trammel nets and continues to kill more and more marine life.

Innoceana and The Vegan Pirates

When we first met Yulian on a dive trip to Isla del Caño, a small island in the South Pacific of Costa Rica, we didn't know that it will change the course of the next months and that it will also bring us in contact with more like-minded human beings. He was our dive instructor and he had also incredible knowledge about the humpback whales that are migrating to Costa Rica every year for mating and raising their calves. He told us about the organisation Innoceana and the rescue mission they participated in to save two entangled whales. So for us it was just a logical step that - with our background of media production and our engagement in marine conservation - we decided to help and use our skills to create a documentary about this event.

With Carlos, the founder of Innoceana, Laura, Project Director of Costa Rica, Margot, Communication Advisor and Julia, Project Manager, and Yulian we made our way to Caño Island again so that we can not only show the rescue but also the work of Innoceana. They have many projects around the area regarding coral research, water quality inspections and also offer expeditions for divers to get more involved in marine conservation.

We shot tons of footage underwater and over water and did also a few interviews with some of the people that were a part of the rescue.

After months of more research and editing we are very proud to present the finished documentary "Entangled in Costa Rica" and are also proud to be chosen for our first festival.

So we hope that many people are going to watch it and will take action to support the campaigns that Innoceana is now working on. The goal is of course to raise awareness, but also to fund and establish a whale rescue squad here in the south of Costa Rica. Additionally there will be a petition to restrict and forbid industrial fishing during the whale season.

For more information stay tuned here and on Social Media and keep an eye on Entangled in Costa Rica.

All pictures © EntangledInCostaRica