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 Video - FilmsWildlife and Plant Species: FishSee "The Wild Colorado" in Regional--North America section. This film shows endangered species of the Colorado River, such as the Colorado Squawfish; also, see coral reef films above.
Note: The title is followed by the length, producer, distributor (if different from producer), and year film was made. Unless otherwise noted, the videos listed below are VHS format. Many are available in Beta, 16mm and other formats. Some are on laser disks.
+ Indicates video sold or rented with teacher’s instruction guide.
"Hunt for the Giant Bluefin." 60 minutes. National Audubon Society. Live Home Video. 1994.
The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has declined to dangerous levels from overfishing. Japanese buyers pay many thousands of dollars for each of these giant fish. This film examines the species' breeding, fishing conducted from a harpoon boat and the urgent need to curtail commercial fishing.
"Hunters of the Sea Wind." 60 minutes. Nature. PBS. BBC. 1996.
Among the fastest, sleekest and strongest of fish are the giant tunas, marlin, sailfish and swordfish. These fish move at high speed, looking for prey. Some grow to be very old in natural conditions with no natural enemies. They are at the top of their food chains, like the fast land predators, wolves, bears and big cats. Filmed underwater, their movements are beautiful and powerful. Their populations are vulnerable to losses, however, as they are not as numerous as their prey. Overfishing has caused major declines in many of these species, especially swordfish and tuna. The market for these fish keeps pressure on them, resulting in the loss of the largest specimens. If consumers saw these fish in their natural element, rather than wrapped in plastic in the supermarket, they would understand why they should be conserved as a vital part of the ocean food chain.
"Jewel of the Rift." 60 minutes. "Heart of Africa" series. National Geographic Society. 1996.
This film focuses on Lake Victoria in East Africa, a center for diversity of cichlid fish and a scene of major ecological disruption. This very ancient and deep lake once had hundreds of species of beautiful, colorful cichlids, living in clear water. The introduction of the Nile Perch, an exotic fish that the government thought would be a food source for the people living on the lake, turned into a disaster when this fish preyed on the native cichlids, wiping them out species by species. Added to this, bad farming techniques and deforestation caused soil to wash into the lake, filling it with cloudy sediment. The cichlid no longer were able to distinguish one another's individual colors and patterns and stopped breeding. Hundreds of species became extinct. This film also shows other wildlife of the lake and the people who live on its shores.
"Kingdom of the Seahorse." 60 minutes. NOVA. WGBH. PBS. 1997.
Seahorses are fascinating and extraordinary fish of temperate and tropical oceans. They have been heavily exploited in the past decade for the Traditional Medicine trade, sold in dried form by the millions. A major focus of this film is the work of biologist Amanda Vincent, the only scientist who has researched the seahorse fishery and the biology of these fish. It is the first film record of the courtship and mating of seahorses, and even shows the near-term young inside of the male's pouch where the female has deposited her eggs to grow. The dangers and extent of the trade and overfishing are addressed, and avid Hong Kong businessmen, eager to buy thousands of seahorses, are interviewed. Amanda Vincent's pilot conservation program in the Philippines has resulted in the establishment of sanctuaries where no fishing is allowed. Fishermen are encouraged to place male seahorses in pens and wait until they eject the young before harvesting the adults; this prevents loss of two generations. The local people have been enthusiastic in support of the program, and seahorse populations have increased. Not explored in the film is the potential that ecotourism might take the place of seahorse harvests as an income producer. Scuba divers and tourists in glass-bottomed boats would be drawn to view these beautiful fish in their tropical sea environment.
"Salmon on the Line." 60 minutes. Nature of Things. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 1988.
The threats to salmon species in the Pacific Northwest in both Canada and the United States are the subjects of this film. It examines the catastrophic effects of dams on salmon migration, preventing these fish from completing their return to streams where they were born to lay their eggs. Dams now number in the hundreds on the Columbia and other rivers of the region. Overfishing by gill‑net fisheries at sea also contributes to the threatened status of salmon. Since this film was made, Northwest salmon have reached near extinction in several areas, and several species and populations have been listed on the US Endangered Species Act. Canada does not have such legislation.
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