Dr. Block receives Ocean Stewardship Award at South Carolina Aquarium Annual Gala

 April 28, 2012

Every spring, the South Carolina Aquarium and the conservation-focused residents of South Carolina gather together to demonstrate their commitment to preserving and protecting the beauty of the natural world.  This year's celebration honored the Aquarium’s mission and celebrates the opening of the Aquarium's largest changing exhibit. 

The night – ‘An Evening in Madagascar‘ – was remarkable, attended by over 450 conservation minded Carolinians! The event was organized to leave guests feeling they have traveled to the island and back in a night. Showcasing how maintaining biodiversity here, and in places like Madagascar, remains a core conservation effort for the South Carolina Aquarium, the evening included cocktails, seated dinner, presentation of the Environmental Stewardship Award, theatrical performances and a 9:00 p.m. ‘After Affair’ inside the Aquarium.

Every year the Aquarium gives an Ocean Stewardship award.  The Aquarium presented the Ocean Stewardship Award to Sylvia Earle during 2011 and to Vice President Gore in 2010.  This year the Aquarium recognized TAG’s very own Dr. Barbara Block for her achievements in ocean conservation through her work for Tag-A-Giant, the Tuna Research and Conservation Center, the Tagging of Pacific Predators program, and Stanford University.

Dr. Block was introduced to this great conservation crowd by TAG Board member, Mr. John Hill (pictured below with his wife, Marilynn, and Dr. Barbara Block.  John is a long-time supporter of TAG’s bluefin research efforts, and a passionate champion for bluefin conservation.  It was a wonderful evening and a great honor for Dr. Barbara Block and TAG to be recognized Environmental Stewardship Award.

Dr. Barbara Block (left) with John and Marilynn Hill at the South Carolina Aquarium 2012 Annual Gala - 'An Evening in Madagascar'.

Reelin' for Research

TAG-A-Giant is proud to donate a scientific fishing charter to the winner of the Reelin' for Research Tournament (www.reelinforresearch.org) on May 5th in Morehead City, North Carolina. This is a wonderful tournament that benefits the North Carolina Children's Hospital...join us in the “fight” to “land” a cure for kids!

Superfish: Bluefin Tuna

Tag-A-Giant invites you to watch the world premiere of the film, ‘Superfish: Bluefin Tuna’, airing on Thursday, April 12 @ 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel.

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a giant among fish.  Capable of weighing 1,500 pounds, reaching 10 feet in length and swimming up to 50 miles per hour in their travels across the Atlantic Ocean basin, the Atlantic bluefin is one of the largest, fastest and strongest fish in the sea.  Because of their power and beauty, wild bluefin tuna have always been a highly sought-after but elusive quarry for filmmakers.  Few have filmed them in the wild.  

For marine biologist and wildlife cameraman Rick Rosenthal, documenting this giant fish became the ultimate challenge.  Working with support from the Tag-A-Giant Fund, Rick launched this heroic effort back in 2009 – and his work is coming to fruition this week.  In the new one-hour world premiere special ‘Superfish: Bluefin Tuna’, Rosenthal shares the secrets of the legendary bluefin tuna, while documenting its place in the grand scheme of the vast marine ecosystem.

Cachalot app

Here is a short clip we made for Duke University’s Cachalot app, a novel digital textbook designed for students enrolled in Duke’s Marine Megafauna class, but free for everyone, everywhere...check it out at your app store. The video was shot by Robbie Schallert aboard the Bay Queen IV while tagging bluefin off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.