America’s national marine sanctuaries played a starring role at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival held August 24-29 in Monterey, California. The 14 federally designated marine protected areas were featured in many of the 80+ films screened during the festival, including the winner for Best Ocean Exploration and Adventure Film, “Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures: America’s Underwater Treasures,” a feature produced by Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society.

During the BLUE Carpet Awards Ceremony, Cousteau, a trustee emeritus of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and his family, including son Fabien and daughter Céline, were honored with a “Making Waves Award” for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental stewardship. A special tribute was made to family patriarch and pioneering ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society also announced the release of a new, four-book series, “Explore the National Marine Sanctuaries with Jean-Michel Cousteau,” which focuses on the four different regions of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The series is based on the Ocean Future Society’s award-winning, limited edition book “America’s Underwater Treasures” and the PBS film series “Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures.” The first book, available in stores January 2011, will highlight the sanctuaries of the Southeastern United States.

“We applaud the great work of our trustee emeritus, Jean-Michel Cousteau, in helping increase public awareness about national marine sanctuaries and encourage ocean stewardship,” said Jason Patlis, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a sponsor for the BLUE Ocean Film Festival. “Continuing in his father’s tradition, Jean-Michel has made it his life’s work to celebrate our most treasured ocean places; he is a true ocean hero.”

About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and national marine sanctuaries:
The National Marine Sanctuary System is a network of 13 sanctuaries and one marine national monument encompassing 150,000 square miles in U.S. waters. The Foundation was created to help foster conservation-based research, education, and outreach programs designed to connect the American public with these unique marine environments. For more information, visit www.NMSFocean.org.

For more information on BLUE, visit www.bluefilmfest.com.

Contact:
Sarah van Schagen
Communications and Outreach Manager
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
301-608-3040 x5

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