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USA / 5 Min Read

Bounties of Northern California

Finding an alternative to industrial fish products through sea foraging

Picture of Kyralai Duppel

Kyralai Duppel

Spearfisher, Sea Forager and Storyteller

California, USA

Picture of Kyralai Duppel

Kyralai Duppel

Spearfisher, Sea Forager and Storyteller

Author picture

California, USA

Introduction

Kyralai Duppel is a proponent of sustainable fishing and healthy diets. She dives for a species of sea urchin better known as ‘Uni’. Kyralai dives in her spare time for adventure and also to supplement her income. Uni is a highly coveted commodity, as it can sell at $16 per pound.. Kyrali wants to assist in the restoration of the natural kelp habitat that is being threatened by the overpopulation of Uni. She occasionally catches mussels and rockfish, and shares her bounty with family and friends. This allows her to contribute to her community by creating delicious dishes from the catch and gets to tell stories about   her relationship with the sea. Kyralai has turned her hobby into an advocacy campaign for sourcing seafood from local fishers to ensure sustainable harvesting. She does this work while raising awareness and supporting local initiatives who are preserving the biodiversity and beauty of the Northern Californian shoreline.

The Bounties of Northern California

The cool morning air bites at my exposed face; the rest of my body is sheathed in a thick neoprene wetsuit, essential for a successful dive in these cold waters. Equipped with weights, a knife, and a flashlight (if not forgotten), I traverse gravel trails to the shore. On a good day, the water is smooth and glassy, still gray with a serene but eerie presence. Submerging in the shallows, the icy water rushes around my face, gradually seeping into the seams of my suit. Lucky days afford me visibility of about 15 feet, and on particularly rare and good days, just a bit more.

Our boston whaler (type of boat) has opened up many new opportunities for fishing and spearfishing. It’s always exciting to explore a new area to dive on the boat. Spearfishing is more similar to hunting than classic fishing. When preparing for spearfishing in Northern California, it's essential to consider the unique characteristics of the region since each spearfishing location varies. With colder water and lower visibility, spearfishing in Northern California requires higher skills than in the rest of the Golden State.

The waters of Northern California (NorCal) stand in stark contrast to their southern counterpart. The North coast is rougher, colder, and harsher than the stereotypical clear blue-green waters of warm sunny SoCal. Yet, teeming with life, these northern waters are home to thousands of species that locals can harvest for food. The sea urchin, known as uni, is but one example of a popular edible species. Unfortunately, sea urchins have overpopulated these waters, decimating kelp forests and transforming them into barren underwater wastelands. Purple sea urchins may be a plentiful delicacy but they devour local kelp forests, transforming them into unproductive urchin barrens. Satellite imagery reveals that over 95% of these kelp forests have succumbed to this transformation or have already vanished.

Despite the seemingly inhospitable environment for spearfishing in Northern California, this primal activity has proven mentally, physically, and spiritually beneficial. In a meditative state, my heart rate slows during sustainable food harvesting. Spearfishing is a fulfilling part of my life, and strengthening meaningful bonds with fellow divers and those who appreciate the food I create enables me to participate with my society in meaningful ways.

“Spearfishing has been a fulfilling part of my life and has strengthened the meaningful bonds with the people I dive with and those who enjoy the food I’m able to create from it.”

– Kyralai Duppel, spearfisher and sea forager

[click the right arrow to scroll through the slideshow]
[click the right arrow to scroll through the slideshow]
Sea urchin are the easiest thing to dive for and are one of the more expensive things you would buy in a seafood restaurant. Urchin has a creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. This dish highlights the natural flavors of the sea urchin.
Sea urchin are the easiest thing to dive for and are one of the more expensive things you would buy in a seafood restaurant. Urchin has a creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. This dish highlights the natural flavors of the sea urchin.
The crunchy texture of toasted bread pairs perfectly with the soft and creaminess of the uni. This dish can be a good one to try for people who say they don’t like seafood or who are nervous to try sea urchin.
The crunchy texture of toasted bread pairs perfectly with the soft and creaminess of the uni. This dish can be a good one to try for people who say they don’t like seafood or who are nervous to try sea urchin.
Due to its creamy texture, urchin makes a great pasta sauce and is complemented by butter, garlic, and miso.
Due to its creamy texture, urchin makes a great pasta sauce and is complemented by butter, garlic, and miso.
Mussels are a great addition to almost any soup. My favorite way to eat them is in a white wine and garlic broth with garlic bread or toasted pieces of baguette on the side.
Mussels are a great addition to almost any soup. My favorite way to eat them is in a white wine and garlic broth with garlic bread or toasted pieces of baguette on the side.
There are a lot of dishes you can make with local crab. Red Rock Crab is less desirable so it goes well in fried rice. Dungeness crab meat is more coveted so I like to eat in dishes that really showcase the crab.
There are a lot of dishes you can make with local crab. Red Rock Crab is less desirable so it goes well in fried rice. Dungeness crab meat is more coveted so I like to eat in dishes that really showcase the crab.
Coconut milk ceviche is traditionally a Peruvian dish, but I like to make it with the addition of Vietnamese flavors through various herbs and fish sauce. The addition of a piece of uni isn’t necessary, but is a nice touch if you have it. It’s always easy to grab some urchin at the end of a dive.
Coconut milk ceviche is traditionally a Peruvian dish, but I like to make it with the addition of Vietnamese flavors through various herbs and fish sauce. The addition of a piece of uni isn’t necessary, but is a nice touch if you have it. It’s always easy to grab some urchin at the end of a dive.
Crabbing involves using baited traps or lines to catch crabs. Fishers typically drop their traps or lines into coastal waters and wait for crabs to be lured by the bait. In California, You can find dungeness and red rock crabs just outside of the Golden Gate Bridge.
One of the most common catch in the cold waters of Northern California is the lingcod. Lingcod are a type of rockfish that are extra big and extra ugly. You can find them in underwater caves. Divers spot the lingcod in their natural habitat, approach stealthily, and aim carefully before shooting the spear to catch the fish. It requires skill, knowledge of regulations, and respect for the animal you are about to catch.

Beneath the surface of the cold Northern California boundary waters lies a bounty of culinary resources available to both divers and non-divers alike. Residing in San Francisco has afforded me weekends of exploring Mendocino, Sonoma, and Monterey Counties, and indulging in the local marine ecosystems. Harvesting urchins, known culinarily as uni, is straightforward, and within 30 minutes, I can collect multiple-pound bags of urchins or mussels. The rocky shores are laden with mussels, requiring no diving; they can be twisted off by hand. My preferred ways to enjoy mussels include steaming them with a white wine sauce, cooking in a tangy coconut broth with fresh herbs, or incorporating them into various soups. Northern California reefs host a diverse array of rockfish and other fish, providing a single dive’s yield to last for weeks or treat friends to a satisfying meal. After a successful dive, my friends and I often prepare beer-battered or barbecued fish tacos. A favorite recipe after a fresh catch is coconut milk ceviche, a dish traditionally Peruvian, but with a twist of Vietnamese flavors and herbs.

Even easier and more accessible than crabbing is mussel picking. Mussels cover the rocks at most beaches. I go to Marin County and just pull them off the rocks. On the coasts of Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte County, one can forage for California mussels (Mytilus californianus). These dark-shelled bivalves are commonly found clinging to rocks along the coastline and are a popular choice for foragers and seafood enthusiasts.
These shores are not only home to the quiet mussel, but they give shelter to a variety of different animals and species. Among the most popular for the foragers there’s the dungeness crab, prized for its sweet meat and a culinary staple, and the rockfish. Sustainable fishing practices are essential to protect these vital components of the local ecosystem.

It’s challenging to trace the source of supermarket seafood. The United States imports 70–85% of its seafood, with wild-caught fish carrying a 32% risk of illegal harvesting and potential ties to forced labor. As fish resources deplete and marine ecological collapse looms, consuming locally caught and traceable seafood becomes crucial. Supporting local, small-scale, and artisanal fishers benefits the environment, bolsters the local economy, and sustains the livelihoods of integral community members.

Though locally caught seafood may be costly, my approach of collecting much of my own enables ethical consumption and sharing with others, avoiding purchases from imported industrial fisheries. In the midst of a bustling city, diving and foraging keep me and others connected with nature, active, and nourished by our surroundings. I encourage fellow Northern Californians to explore the edible marine resources at their doorstep, savoring seafood consciously for personal well-being and the betterment of the local community. Specifically, I urge them to try local uni and contribute to the recovery of our kelp forests from collapse.

Northern California’s coasts boast a stunning blend of rugged cliffs, sandy shores, and lush redwood forests. The cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Pacific Ocean along this coastline support a thriving fishery. Strong upwelling currents bring nutrients, creating ideal conditions for diverse marine life, making it an important hub for commercial and recreational fishing. The rugged terrain and scenery is a refreshing break from the city.
Northern California’s rocky shores offer also thrilling opportunities for coastal foraging experiences. Jumoing from a rock to another, one can look for meaty, delicious mussels that grow in the insterstitial spaces washed by waves. Harvesters explore tide pools and crevices, gathering these delectable shellfish amid humbling natural beauty. A few people can fill up a bucket of mussels in about 15 minutes or less.

Note: Before harvesting or capturing seafood, make sure to check local regulations to see what licenses/permits are required and what catch limitations exist. It is critical to research the health and safety of harvesting and capturing seafood, through public health sources such as the Shellfish Advisories published by the CA Department of Public Health.

One of the greatest parts about foraging from the ocean and spearfishing is doing it with others and creating a community of people who value sustainably harvesting their own food.

Principle

NATURAL-SEAWATER-HendiPerkasa

Supports Global Ecosystems

Seafood is a key protein source for the future and is scaling rapidly, its growth posing risk of disrupting ecosystem balance. Production should be maintained with the surrounding wildlife and habitat in mind and mitigate impact on the natural environment. Capture fisheries must be well-managed and regulated to allow for optimal and sustainable production. Fishers should implement best fishing practices that consider populations of marine life and maintain ecosystem balance. Maintaining ecosystem balance includes optimizing fishing gear, preventing ghost fishing and improving conservation. Fishing operations should contribute to assessing and mitigating fishing impacts for effective fisheries management.

Key Term

ECOSYSTEMBALANCE-QuentinFreeman

Ecosystem Balance

Ocean ecosystem balance refers to the delicate equilibrium of interactions among living organisms and their environment in the ocean. This equilibrium ensures that species populations, nutrient cycles, and physical conditions are maintained, promoting the health and sustainability of marine life and its ecological functions. Disruptions can lead to ecological imbalances with far-reaching consequences.

learn more

  • Berkeley student authors: The Intersection of Labor Abuses and Environmental Degradation in the Global Fishing Industry
  • Collapse of Northern California kelp forests will be hard to reverse
  • Modern Slavery and the Race to Fish 
  • The Sea Is Running Out of Fish, Despite Nations’ Pledges to Stop
  • U.S. Aquaculture
  • US Sea Urchins Prices

credits

Photos, article and recipes by Kyralai Duppel

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What if making the right food choices could be an effective tool for addressing a range of global challenges?

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The Lexicon™ is a California-based nonprofit founded in 2009 with a focus on positive solutions for a more sustainable planet.

For the past five years, it has developed an “activator for good ideas” with support from Food at Google. This model gathers domain experts from over 1,000 companies and organizations working at the intersection of food, agriculture, conservation, and climate change.

Together, the community has reached consensus on strategies that respond to challenges across multiple domain areas, including biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, food packaging, aquaculture, and the missing middle in supply chains for meat.

Lexicon of Food is the first public release of that work.

 

Agrobiodiversity

Over half the world’s agricultural production comes from only three crops. Can we bring greater diversity to our plates?

Meat OS

In the US, four companies control nearly 85% of the beef we consume. Can we develop more regionally-based markets?

Single-Use Plastics

How can we develop alternatives to single-use plastics that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Regenerative Agriculture

Could changing the way we grow our food provide benefits for people and the planet, and even respond to climate change?

Alternative Proteins

Can we meet the growing global demand for protein while reducing our reliance on traditional animal agriculture?

Food Packaging

It’s not only important what we eat but what our food comes in. Can we develop tools that identify toxic materials used in food packaging?

Featured

Explore The Lexicon’s collection of immersive storytelling experiences featuring insights from our community of international experts.

The Great Protein Shift
Our experts use an engaging interactive approach to break down the technologies used to create these novel proteins.

Regenerative Agriculture Principle 1

Ten Principles for Regenerative Agriculture
What is regenerative agriculture? We’ve developed a framework to explain the principles, practices, ecological benefits and language of regenerative agriculture, then connected them to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Food is Medicine

Food-related chronic diseases are the biggest burden on healthcare systems. What would happen if we treated food as medicine?

Fisheries

How can we responsibly manage our ocean fisheries so there’s enough seafood for everyone now and for generations to come?

Ecological Benefits

Mobilizing agronomists, farmers, NGOs, chefs, and food companies in defense of biodiversity in nature, agriculture, and on our plates.

Food Choices

Can governments develop guidelines that shift consumer diets, promote balanced nutrition and reduce the risk of chronic disease?

Aquaculture

Will sustainably raising shellfish, finfish, shrimp and algae meet the growing demand for seafood while reducing pressure on wild fisheries?

Lex Icons

How can a universal visual language to describe our food systems bridge cultural barriers and increase consumer literacy?

Welcome to the “FOOD CHOICES FOR A HEALTHY PLANET” game!

This game was designed to raise awareness about the impacts our food choices have on our own health, but also the environment, climate change and the cultures in which we live.

First, you can choose one of the four global regions and pick a character that you want to play.

Each region has distinct cultural, economic, historical, and agricultural capacities to feed itself, and each character faces different challenges, such as varied access to food, higher or lower family income, and food literacy. 

As you take your character through their day, select the choices you think they might make given their situation. 

At the end of the day you will get a report on the impact of your food choices on five areas: health, healthcare, climate, environment and culture. Take some time to read through them. Now go back and try again. Can you make improvements in all five areas? Did one area score higher, but another score lower? 

FOOD CHOICES FOR A HEALTHY PLANET will help you better understand how all these regions and characters’ particularities can influence our food choices, and how our food choices can impact our personal health, national healthcare, environment, climate, and culture. Let’s Play!

The FOOD CHOICES FOR A HEALTHY PLANET game allows users to experience the dramatic connections between food and climate in a unique and engaging way. The venue and the game set-up provides attendees with a fun experience, with a potential to add a new layer of storytelling about this topic.

Starting the game: the pilot version of the game features four country/regions: Each reflects a different way people (and the national dietary guidelines) look at diets: Nordic Countries (sustainability), Brazil (local and whole foods instead of ultra-processed foods); Canada (plant-forward), and Indonesia (developing countries).

Personalizing the game: players begin by choosing a country and then a character who they help in making food choices over the course of one day. Later versions may allow for creating custom avatars.

Making tough food choices: This interactive game for all ages shows how the food choices we make impact our health and the environment, and even contribute to climate change.

FoodChoices-Sylvia-Groceries-Screen
FoodChoices-Sylvia-YesNo-Screen
FoodChoices-Sylvia-Drinks-Screen
FoodChoices-Sylvia-DinnerPlate-Screen
FoodChoices-Sylvia-CharacterDescription-Screen

What we eat matters: at the end of each game, players learn that every decision they make impacts not only their health, but a national healthcare system, the environment, climate and even culture.

Bounties of Northern California

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Water Quality

Providing best water quality conditions to ensure optimal living condition for growth, breeding and other physiological needs

Water quality is sourced from natural seawater with dependency on the tidal system. Water is treated to adjust pH and alkalinity before stocking.

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Smallholder Farmer

Producers that own and manages the farm operating under small-scale farming model with limited input, investment which leads to low to medium production yield

All 1,149 of our farmers in both regencies are smallholder farmers who operate with low stocking density, traditional ponds, and no use of any other intensification technology.

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Safe working conditions — cleanliness, lighting, equipment, paid overtime, hazard safety, etc. — happen when businesses conduct workplace safety audits and invest in the wellbeing of their employees

Company ensure implementation of safe working conditions by applying representative of workers to health and safety and conduct regular health and safety training. The practices are proven by ASIC standards’ implementation

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Community Livelihood

Implementation of farming operations, management and trading that impact positively to community wellbeing and sustainable better way of living

The company works with local stakeholders and local governments to create support for farmers and the farming community in increasing resilience. Our farming community is empowered by local stakeholders continuously to maintain a long generation of farmers.

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Frozen at Peak Freshness

Freezing seafood rapidly when it is at peak freshness to ensure a higher quality and longer lasting product

Our harvests are immediately frozen with ice flakes in layers in cool boxes. Boxes are equipped with paper records and coding for traceability. We ensure that our harvests are processed with the utmost care at <-18 degrees Celsius.

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Deforestation Free

Sourcing plant based ingredients, like soy, from producers that do not destroy forests to increase their growing area and produce fish feed ingredients

With adjacent locations to mangroves and coastal areas, our farmers and company are committed to no deforestation at any scale. Mangrove rehabilitation and replantation are conducted every year in collaboration with local authorities. Our farms are not established in protected habitats and have not resulted from deforestation activity since the beginning of our establishment.

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Natural Feed

Implement only natural feeds grown in water for aquatic animal’s feed without use of commercial feed

Our black tiger shrimps are not fed using commercial feed. The system is zero input and depends fully on natural feed grown in the pond. Our farmers use organic fertilizer and probiotics to enhance the water quality.

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Increased Biodiversity

Enhance biodiversity through integration of nature conservation and food production without negative impact to surrounding ecosysytem

As our practices are natural, organic, and zero input, farms coexist with surrounding biodiversity which increases the volume of polyculture and mangrove coverage area. Farmers’ groups, along with the company, conduct regular benthic assessments, river cleaning, and mangrove planting.

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THE TERM “MOONSHOT” IS OFTEN USED TO DESCRIBE an initiative that goes beyond the confines of the present by transforming our greatest aspirations into reality, but the story of a moonshot isn’t that of a single rocket. In fact, the Apollo program that put Neil Armstrong on the moon was actually preceded by the Gemini program, which in a two-year span rapidly put ten rockets into space. This “accelerated” process — with a new mission nearly every 2-3 months — allowed NASA to rapidly iterate, validate their findings and learn from their mistakes. Telemetry. Propulsion. Re-entry. Each mission helped NASA build and test a new piece of the puzzle.

The program also had its fair share of creative challenges, especially at the outset, as the urgency of the task at hand required that the roadmap for getting to the moon be written in parallel with the rapid pace of Gemini missions. Through it all, the NASA teams never lost sight of their ultimate goal, and the teams finally aligned on their shared responsibilities. Within three years of Gemini’s conclusion, a man did walk on the moon.

FACT is a food systems solutions activator that assesses the current food landscape, engages with key influencers, identifies trends, surveys innovative work and creates greater visibility for ideas and practices with the potential to shift key food and agricultural paradigms.

Each activator focuses on a single moonshot; instead of producing white papers, policy briefs or peer-reviewed articles, these teams design and implement blueprints for action. At the end of each activator, their work is released to the public and open-sourced.

As with any rapid iteration process, many of our activators re-assess their initial plans and pivot to address new challenges along the way. Still, one thing has remained constant: their conviction that by working together and pooling their knowledge and resources, they can create a multiplier effect to more rapidly activate change.

Picture of Douglas Gayeton

Douglas Gayeton

Co-Founder
THE LEXICON

Picture of Michiel Bakker

Michiel Bakker

Vice President
Global Workplace Programs
GOOGLE

Eligibility, Submission Terms and Conditions

Sponsor

A Greener Blue Global Storytelling Initiative is sponsored by The Lexicon, a US based 501(c)(3) public charity.

Opportunity

Storytellers will join A Greener Blue Storytelling Collective to create stories for the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture with the FAO and its partner organizations. Members of the Collective will take part in a private online “Total Storytelling Lab” led by The Lexicon’s Douglas Gayeton. Upon completion of this online certificate program, members of the Collective will join seafood experts from around the globe in creating A Greener Blue Storytelling initiative.

Terms

Who can enter and how selections are made.

A Greener Blue is a global call to action that is open to individuals and teams from all over the world. Below is a non-exhaustive list of subjects the initiative targets.

  • Creatives and storytellers with a passion for food and the willingness to support small-scale fisherpeople and experts worldwide. This category includes, but is not exhausted in photographers, videomakers, illustrators, podcasters, and writers.
  • Food Activists working to change open sea fishing and aquaculture; 
  • Members of fishing and indigenous communities that support their communities, share their stories and protect their way of life;
  • Local and International NGOs work every day with actors across the whole value chain to create more sustainable seafood models.

To apply, prospective participants will need to fill out the form on the website, by filling out each part of it. Applications left incomplete or containing information that is not complete enough will receive a low score and have less chance of being admitted to the storytelling lab.

Nonprofit organizations, communities of fishers and fish farmers and companies that are seeking a closer partnership or special support can also apply by contacting hello@thelexicon.org and interacting with the members of our team.

Special attention will be given to the section of the form regarding the stories that the applicants want to tell and the reasons for participating. All proposals for stories regarding small-scale or artisanal fishers or aquaculturists, communities of artisanal fishers or aquaculturists, and workers in different steps of the seafood value chain will be considered.

Stories should show the important role that these figures play in building a more sustainable seafood system. To help with this narrative, the initiative has identified 10 principles that define a more sustainable seafood system. These can be viewed on the initiative’s website and they state:
Seafood is sustainable when:

  • it helps address climate change
  • it supports global ecosystems
  • it optimizes impact on resources and nutrient cycles.
  • it promotes a safe growing environment for safe food sources.
  • it advances animal welfare.
  • it enhances flavor and nutrition.
  • it builds resilience and self-sufficiency in local communities.
  • it prioritizes inclusion, equality, and fair treatment of workers.
  • it preserves legality and the quality and the story of the product throughout the value chain.
  • it creates opportunities along the whole value chain.

Proposed stories should show one or more of these principles in practice.

Applications are open from the 28th of June to the 15th of August 2022. There will be 50 selected applicants who will be granted access to The Lexicon’s Total Storytelling Lab. These 50 applicants will be asked to accept and sign a learning agreement and acceptance of participation document with which they agree to respect The Lexicon’s code of conduct.

The first part of the lab will take place online between August the 22nd and August the 26th and focus on training participants on the foundation of storytelling, supporting them to create a production plan, and aligning all of them around a shared vision.

Based on their motivation, quality of the story, geography, and participation in the online Lab, a selected group of participants will be gifted a GoPro camera offered to the program by GoPro For A Change. Participants who are selected to receive the GoPro camera will need to sign an acceptance and usage agreement.

The second part of the Storytelling Lab will consist of a production period in which each participant will be supported in the production of their own story. This period goes from August 26th to October 13th. Each participant will have the opportunity to access special mentorship from an international network of storytellers and seafood experts who will help them build their story. The Lexicon also provides editors, animators, and graphic designers to support participants with more technical skills.

The final deadline to submit the stories is the 14th of October. Participants will be able to both submit complete edited stories, or footage accompanied by a storyboard to be assembled by The Lexicon’s team.

All applicants who will exhibit conduct and behavior that is contrary to The Lexicon’s code of conduct will be automatically disqualified. This includes applicants proposing stories that openly discriminate against a social or ethnic group, advocate for a political group, incite violence against any group, or incite to commit crimes of any kind.

All submissions must be the entrant’s original work. Submissions must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person.

Participants will retain the copyrights to their work while also granting access to The Lexicon and the other partners of the initiative to share their contributions as part of A Greener Blue Global Storytelling Initiative.

If a potential selected applicant cannot be reached by the team of the Initiative within three (3) working days, using the contact information provided at the time of entry, or if the communication is returned as undeliverable, that potential participant shall forfeit.

Offering

Selected applicants will be granted access to an advanced Storytelling Lab taught and facilitated by Douglas Gayeton, award-winning storyteller and information architect, co-founder of The Lexicon. In this course, participants will learn new techniques that will improve their storytelling skills and be able to better communicate their work with a global audience. This skill includes (but is not limited to) how to build a production plan for a documentary, how to find and interact with subjects, and how to shoot a short documentary.

Twenty of the participants will receive a GoPro Hero 11 Digital Video and Audio Cameras by September 15, 2022. Additional participants may receive GoPro Digital Video and Audio Cameras to be announced at a later date. The recipients will be selected by advisors to the program and will be based on selection criteria (see below) on proposals by Storytelling Lab participants. The selections will keep in accordance with Lab criteria concerning geography, active participation in the Storytelling Lab and commitment to the creation of a story for the Initiative, a GoPro Camera to use to complete the storytelling lab and document their story. These recipients will be asked to sign an acceptance letter with terms of use and condition to receive the camera. 

The Lexicon provides video editors, graphic designers, and animators to support the participants to complete their stories.

The submitted stories will be showcased during international and local events, starting from the closing event of the International Year of Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 in Rome, in January 2023. The authors of the stories will be credited and may be invited to join.

All selection criteria

Storytelling lab participation:

Applicants that will be granted access to the storytelling Lab will be evaluated based on the entries they provided in the online form, and in particular:

  • The completeness of their form
  • The relevance of their story (coherence with the main goal of the initiative and 10 principles)
  • Written motivation explained
  • Geography (the initiative aims at showcasing stories from all over the world so the mix of locations will be a factor that the selection committee will take into account)
 

Applications will be evaluated by a team of 4 judges from The Lexicon, GSSI and the team of IYAFA (Selection committee).

When selecting applications, the call promoters may request additional documentation or interviews both for the purpose of verifying compliance with eligibility requirements and to facilitate proposal evaluation.

Camera recipients:

Participants to the Storytelling Lab who will be given a GoPro camera will be selected based on:

  • Quality of the story (coherence with the initiative and the 10 principles)
  • Motivation demonstrated during the interaction in the online class
  • Participation in the online class (participants that will attend less than 4 classes will be automatically excluded)
 

The evaluation will be carried out by a team of 4 judges from The Lexicon, GSSI and the team of IYAFA (Selection committee).

Incidental expenses and all other costs and expenses which are not specifically listed in these Official Rules but which may be associated with the acceptance, receipt and use of the Storytelling Lab and the camera are solely the responsibility of the respective participants and are not covered by The Lexicon or any of the A Greener Blue partners.

All participants who receive a Camera are required to sign an agreement allowing GoPro for a Cause, The Lexicon and GSSI to utilize the films for A Greener Blue and their promotional purposes. All participants will be required to an agreement to upload their footage into the shared drive of The Lexicon and make the stories, films and images available for The Lexicon and the promoting partners of A Greener Blue.

Additional Limitations

Selection and distribution of the camera is non-transferable. No substitution or cash equivalent of the cameras is granted. The Lexicon and its respective partners and representatives are not responsible for any typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of the Initiative, including, but not limited to, errors in any printing or posting or the Official Rules, the selection and announcement of any selected participant, or the distribution of any equipment. Any attempt to damage the content or operation of this Initiative is unlawful and subject to possible legal action by The Lexicon. The Lexicon reserves the right to terminate, suspend or amend the Initiative, without notice, and for any reason, including, without limitation, if The Lexicon determines that the Lab cannot be conducted as planned or should a virus, bug, tampering or unauthorized intervention, technical failure or other cause beyond The Lexicon’s control corrupt the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper play of the Contest. In the event any tampering or unauthorized intervention may have occurred, The Lexicon reserves the right to void suspect entries at issue.

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