Reflection:
As I researched ocean activism and human influences on the ocean, overfishing consistently came up as one of the most pressing ocean environmental problems. Thus, I decided to look into the issue further. I soon realized how complicated and urgent the problem is. A three-minute video cannot do the subject justice, but I did want to increase awareness of one of the most prominent solutions and its components (that is, a high seas fishing ban, preceded by increasing marine reserves, IoT networks, and tighter international laws like the Port State Measures Agreement). I also learned about the psychology of climate change and why humans generally aren’t great at thinking about environmental issues. For instance, hyperbolic discounting (the subconscious behavior that prioritizes the present over the future) and sunk cost fallacy (projects people invest lots of time and money into are easier to stay with, even if they aren’t working) are two major psychological effects I wanted to implicitly address. I did this by emphasizing the effects of overfishing we are witnessing right now and discussing how changing the fishing industry will save more time and money than staying the current course. We all need to do our part by educating ourselves, changing our own behavior, and pressuring businesses and governments to take action. The Ocean Awareness Contest has opened my eyes to the importance of the ocean (for both coastal and inland regions), inspired me to keep learning, and prompted me to advocate for change.
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[See the end of the video for works cited and media used.]

This documentary was submitted to the 2020 Ocean Awareness Contest, held by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs, Inc.
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