For the longest time after the 1975 blockbuster “JAWS” gave us a spine-tingling ride, there was an often used saying that “the only good shark is a dead shark”. This man- against-beast thriller and its many progeny shark horror flicks still pervade the public’s psyche, anointing all sharks as human-eaters and keeping many beach-goers out of the ocean.
The public and media’s morbid fascination with sharks as killing “machines” continues today. There is a steady stream of media coverage when fishers catch and drag back a large shark for photo-ops. In some minds, catching and killing a large shark is almost heroic and fashionable, and a testament to man’s superiority in the “battle” against the beast.
Meanwhile, the enormous toll taken on shark numbers worldwide due to indiscriminate fisheries continues unabated. All this shark killing causes some to wring their hands in anguish about longer-term ecological impacts. Others say “what’s the big deal if sharks are killed?”
Who’s right? Should we care if many of the oceans large sharks are exterminated? Is there really enough of an impact on the marine environment to worry about?
New studies show that sharks also influence the behavior of their prey. Photo credit: B. Watts
It seems intuitively reasonable that sharks, as top-level predators, play an important role in maintaining stability in the ocean’s food chain. Most people objectively or “in their gut” understand that life on earth is a series of complex interactions, with connections through food webs. Simply put, species at the top of the food chain eat species in the middle of the food chain which in turn eat species on the bottom of the food chain. And therefore, changes in the abundance of one community segment will affect the other segments. In fact, recent studies have indeed documented that overfishing of large sharks (the apex predators) has resulted in numerical increases in populations of their normal prey such as smaller sharks and rays (known as mid-level predators or mesopredators) in a phenomenon called “predator release”. In turn, the mesopredators are overeating their own smaller prey such as bay scallops and bony fishes even lower on the food chain. Scientists call such effects that ripple down the food chain “trophic cascades”.
Still, will it really matter all that much if we overfish sharks? Won’t some other large predatory species, such as billfish and barracuda, take over for sharks at the top of the food chain and keep the food webs functioning normally?
If only the interconnections of life were that simple…….
New studies in Shark Bay, Australia by Dr. Mike Heithaus and his team at Florida International University are showing that in addition to playing important roles in the food web by direct predation (or lethal) effects, including keeping prey population sizes in check, sharks also play a large role in maintaining the normal functioning of marine ecosystems by— get this— influencing the behavior of their prey!
How does this prey behavior to ecosystem function connection work?
Let’s take the seagrass ecosystem as an example. Recreational fishers and patrons of the marine outdoors know that seagrass beds are critically important nursery areas for juveniles and sometimes even adults of all types of fishes and invertebrates. The health of seagrass ecosystems is woven into an intricate balance with larger animals such as sea-cows, sea turtles and birds that obtain their sustenance in seagrass beds, either by directly grazing on the seagrass or eating smaller creatures living on the seagrass or in the surrounding sediment. These large animals (mesopredators) are in turn, prey for tiger sharks.
Let’s connect the ecosystem dots: Dr. Heithaus and colleagues have documented that sea-cows, sea turtles and birds avoid hanging out in seagrass beds when tiger sharks are seasonally present in Shark Bay, and jump right back in to devour their favorite foods after the sharks leave in winter. Makes survival sense doesn’t it? What this shows is that the presence of tiger sharks causes the mesopredators to change their habitat-use behavior to avoid the risk of being eaten. And this risk-avoidance behavior keeps the seagrass beds and their inhabitants from being over-consumed.
The take home message is that sharks keep the marine ecosystem in balance not just by directly eating their prey — the role that gets the most attention, but also indirectly by altering the behavior of their prey. The importance of this indirect ecosystem role of sharks is just beginning to be recognized.
We at the Guy Harvey Research Institute, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and AFTCO hope that you will keep in mind the delicate balance required to keep our oceans healthy. Please enjoy our marine environment with respect for all of its remarkable life forms. If you catch a shark, enjoy its magnificence, keep its important ecosystem role in mind – and let it swim away.
For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, please visit: www.guyharveysportswear.com
Success came much faster than expected. Today we announced that in one month we have already sold out of the 50,000 special Guy Harvey “Save Our Gulf” T-shirts. While AFTCO Bluewater will produce no more, some of these special shirts will still be available at retail outlets for the next few weeks. Ten dollars of each shirt sold is donated to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), so we have now successfully raised $500,000 that will be used to support needed marine life research in the Gulf of Mexico.
Fish and other Gulf marine life will benefit from the $500,000 raised
Even though oil is no longer flowing into the Gulf from the BP spill, and it is reported that over 70% of the spilled oil is now gone mainly due to evaporation and bacteria consuming it, there is no doubt that marine life in the Gulf has been impacted. Better understanding of how it has been impacted and what to do about it is what the $500,000 will be used for. The money raised from the sales of the special Guy Harvey T-shirts will be set aside in a separate fund within the GHOF and will be given out to research projects that Guy Harvey and the Board believe will bring the most future benefit to marine life of the Gulf of Mexico.
Many questions will need to be answered, such as, “what impact has the spill had on planktonic animals, fish eggs, larvae and juvenile fish?”, “has there been a significant impact on an important sportfish species such as bluefin tuna, red snapper, redfish, seatrout, or flounder?” and “how will that impact future stocks?”
Our thanks goes out to all who added to the $10 contribution which included Guy Harvey, AFTCO Bluewater, our reps, our suppliers and our retail partners. We also thank the consumers who made this possible with their strong support of these specific shirts and the Guy Harvey brand. Our original goal was to sell 10,000 T-shirts and raise $100,000. For us to raise $500,000 in a month is quite a unique and significant accomplishment.
Meaningful support of the marine resource is part of the culture and DNA of both Guy Harvey and AFTCO Bluewater. This “Save Our Gulf” T-shirt effort was both fun and rewarding for all of us. As time passes and we fund various research efforts, we will keep you posted on what is learned.
Bill
For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, pleaser visit: www.guyharveysportswear.com
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (CNN) — Whether he’s out on the ocean monitoring stingrays in the Caribbean, or back on land painting in his studio, Guy Harvey spends all his time surrounded by fish.
Raised in Jamaica and educated in Scotland, Harvey is one of the world’s leading conservationists with a first class degree in marine biology and a PhD in fisheries management.
His love of the sea and ecology inspired Harvey to found the Guy Harvey Research Institute in 1999 which provides scientific information about fish protection and biodiversity.
But this is only half of Harvey’s remarkable story. He is a highly successful businessman with a chain of seafood restaurants and a self-taught artist whose depictions of game fish have become world famous.
“I didn’t go to art class or art school, never took a lesson in my life. I learned everything from trial and error and it’s this persistence, I suppose, with the illustrative content which got me to where I am,” Harvey told CNN.
Ernest Hemmingway’s novella, “The Old Man and the Sea” inspired Harvey’s obsession with game fish and moved him to depict the famous fishing story in a series of pen and ink drawings a quarter of a century ago.
He paints every day and 10 percent of the proceeds of all the paintings he sells goes straight back into his eco-organizations.
Harvey also created a TV series, “Portraits of the Deep,” to showcase game fish and their importance to the environment.
“To see them underwater in their glowing, feeding and moving colors, their aggression colors are probably one of the most exciting things you can do as a diver,” Harvey said.
These videos play constantly in his stores and his restaurants where Harvey’s art is also on the walls, and only sustainable fish species are on the menu.
Harvey’s marine expertise has also helped to pioneer techniques of recording billfish underwater and a tagging system to monitor them over long distances.
More recently, he’s taken on the plight of sharks. Hunted for their fins, the loss of these predators could affect the oceans’ fragile balance.
Harvey’s recent Ultimate Shark Challenge was a catch-and-release fishing tournament held off the Southwest Florida coast. Endangered sharks were tagged for study and not a single one was strung up in the dock.
Sharks are also in danger in the Gulf of Mexico because of the BP oil leak. Harvey fears other fish are at risk too. He’s planning a new line of t-shirts to raise funds for research.
“We have no idea when this is going to stop or how far it’s going to reach and what the life span of this disaster is going to be,” Harvey said.
From the study of stingrays, to the most pressing conservation issues in global fisheries, the diver, artist, scientist, and businessman is always promoting the preservation of marine ecology.
“Fish are just stinking fish to most people. They have their filet that comes on the plate or you buy it in the fish mongers and it comes in a cellophane bag and it’s dead and cold and smelly. These are beautiful graceful ocean predators that need our respect.
“I want to leave people feeling that, you know, we really need to think more about how we use the ocean and everything that’s in it and if I’ve achieved that, then that will do it for me.”
It has taken a while to execute this latest project, but I have released three new designs to raise funds for research work on marine life affected by the Gulf oil spill. Two of these custom images are appearing on t-shirts under the appropriate title of “GULF LIFE ” and one as a unique poster. Delivery of the shirts will begin next week with $10.00 of the $20.00 retail price going toward the GHOF (Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation) Gulf Fund. Fifty percent of the poster price will go to the same fund. In initiating this project I am enabling people who want to participate in the clean up and research effort to do so by purchasing a unique design and supporting my cause. These items will be available through all the usual retail channels and outlets, such as Bealls Dept Stores in Florida, Bass Pro Shops, Academy Sports, Hibbett Sports as well as many independent stores around the south-eastern U.S. Additionally, south Florida’s biggest newspaper “The Sun Sentinel” is featuring my art and these designs in a special editorial on Sunday to increase awareness and encourage people to participate in this project. The funds will be collected and administered by the GHOF and then distributed to organizations currently conducting marine research work in the affected area, such as the University of Florida, Mote Marine Lab, University of Alabama and the CCA, just to name a few.
While the “bottom kill” procedure is scheduled to end the leak of oil by July 30 there is still a huge volume of oil floating around the gulf, some of which will make its way into the Atlantic Ocean. We need to find out which marine creatures have been worst affected, which have survived by tolerance or evasion and to gather information on mortality, particularly of larval and juvenile stages of so many marine species that spend long periods near the surface. This knowledge will assist in predicting recruitment of species important in recreational and commercial fisheries for several years to come. These studies will greatly assist us in preparing mitigating measures against any future spills. There are many other worthwhile projects happening. Just yesterday the government of the Cayman Islands, where I live, announced its intention to assist with hosting turtle eggs and hatchlings that are being relocated from affected beaches on the gulf coast. The CI turtle farm is the only commercial turtle farm in the world and has the capacity and ability to assist in this effort. This initiative is being sponsored by the Tortuga Rum Company and by Cayman Airways. Agencies responsible for such action would do well in accepting such a generous offer. I look forward to your comments and your assistance in raising $ for this worthwhile initiative. Take action now and get involved.
Meanwhile, fish responsibly and dive safely.
— Guy Harvey
For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, please visist: www.guyharveysportswear.com
The effects of the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico will be with us for some time. Much of the damage to marine life is not yet even known. While the highly migratory fish species will be able to avoid the oil, the juvenile stages cannot. Neither can air-breathing turtles, seabirds, and mammals that must interact with the surface.
Money is needed to help research how marine life will be impacted and to understand how those impacts can best be dealt with to support Gulf marine life. To help provide those funds, Guy has created two Gulf of Mexico T-shirt designs. The first delivery of the shirts will be July 14. Ten dollars of the $20.00 retail price will be donated to a special account within the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) who will then direct the money to research projects and support efforts that Guy and the GHOF believe will provide the greatest benefit to marine life in the Gulf.
"Gulf Life" t-shirt
Unlike many other efforts to tie products into a cause that are more marketing focused than cause supported, this effort is both unusual and sincere. It reflects the serious marine resource interests of Guy Harvey and his clothing partner AFTCO Bluewater, who both have a long history of supporting a better understanding of the marine world.
This donation effort includes all who are involved with the Guy Harvey T-shirt business. Six dollars of the donation will come from Guy, AFTCO Bluewater and its suppliers, and from our retail partners. The other $4.00 will come from general GHOF funds, part of which, are generated from the proceeds of all other Guy Harvey sportswear sales. While many people don’t know it, Guy Harvey Sportswear sales have for years generated money to help the marine resource. In 2009 AFTCO Bluewater contributed over $200,000.00 from Guy Harvey Sportswear sales to the GHOF for their use to help protect, conserve, enhance and better understand the marine resource.
Thank you for your support of Guy Harvey sportswear products. Whether you purchase a Guy Harvey T-shirt or other Guy Harvey item directly from this site, or from any of our many retail partners, you can do so knowing that part of your purchase will go towards valuable work on behalf of the marine resource.
For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, please visit: www.guyharveysportswear.com
I just completed a weekend visit to Alabama and Mississippi for appearances at Academy Sports + Outdoor and Hibbett Sports. While I was there, I had a chance to talk with many people about the impact of the Gulf oil spill. When you visit the affected area it means much more than seeing the tragedy on TV from fifteen hundred miles away, so I considered it time to comment on the incident.
There has been such a widespread condemnation of the responsible party BP that I am not going to add to that, only to say the whole episode exposes man’s unpreparedness for such events. We are so quick to exploit both living and mineral resources without putting in place the necessary conservation or mitigating processes. There has been widespread commercial overexploitation of fish and shellfish in the gulf (bluefin tuna, redfish, red snapper, sharks, shrimp with consequent by-catch mortality) and extensive deep water oil drilling apparently without adequate procedures in place on site or along the coast to prevent accidents of this caliber and keep the oil from coming ashore.
Guy proudly assisting daughter Jessica
Already 2010 has seen devastating earthquakes, massive flooding, destructive typhoons, huge tornadoes, and now we are adding to this destructive scenario. In addition, we are at the beginning of what may be an active Atlantic hurricane season.
Sure, oil has been extracted from the gulf for over fifty years. Most of it safely, except for some small incidents here and there which seem acceptable to the industry. I am reminded that there are oil spills all around the world where drilling takes place but not on this level. The last major catastrophe was in 1979 in the Bay of Campeche (southern Gulf of Mexico) when the oil flowed for nearly three hundred days following an oil rig explosion. People have forgotten about that one. It was not well publicized and certainly did not have live underwater video of the tens of barrels of oil per second spewing from the broken well on our TV 24/7.
Experts say it could take a couple more months before the problem is solved. In that time the public will become accustomed to the bad news, and watch something else. Certainly Haiti does not come up on the news any more. But for the wildlife affected and for the people whose livelihood is severely interrupted, this event is as bad as a Cat 5 hurricane, an 8.0 earthquake or a terrible tornado.
The longer the oil flows, the more wildlife will be affected. Given the slow circulation of the gulf, the oil and dispersants is already killing off untold numbers of planktonic animals, fish eggs, larvae and juvenile fish which affect recruitment of these species for the next couple of years. The bluefin tuna particularly comes to mind as their spawning ground is affected by the spill. This species is already severely overexploited, and this will definitely affect the survivability of the species in the western Atlantic. While the adults of all pelagic species can avoid the oil, the juvenile stages cannot. Neither can air-breathing turtles, sea birds and mammals that have to interact with the surface.
Guy coaching son Alex. Guy and other recreational fishermen desire to leave our children and grandchildren a healthy resource legacy
Movement of surface oil and suspended oil droplets is likely to happen with slow passage out of the gulf then accelerating with the gulfstream proceeding to Cuba, Florida and the US east coast further north. The effects will be widespread as has been projected. In the mean time, over several years the remaining mass of oil will be slowly eroded through evaporation and breakdown by bacteria.
Our dependence on oil has to end at some point, the sooner the better. This accident is a very appropriate reminder that we need to turn to alternative, renewable energy sources as soon as possible. Sun, wind, hydrogen are all available and the technology exists to make meaningful changes over the next ten to twenty years.
Of course the oil companies don’t want to see this happen. This business is SO profitable that they are going to protect it indefinitely. However, while they are still in business, this event may encourage them to spend more money providing grants to gulf coast universities to assist in upgrading the scientific research work and improving our knowledge of the coastal wildlife ecosystems, nearshore marine and oceanic marine systems. In the middle of this disaster, let’s also not lose focus of the real habitat value that the offshore oil rigs have provided fish and other marine life for many years, both as working rigs and after decommissioning when the rigs are often sunk and turned into an environmentally positive Rigs-To-Reefs Program.
So how can we the public, living outside of the affected area, help? We can contribute time and dollars to the clean up process. This ecological disaster cannot be cleaned up by BP, even though they say they are going to pay for it. The effects of the spill are going to be with us for a long time. I am contributing time to do new designs printed by AFTCO to be sold through our dealers with proceeds benefiting suitable organizations on the ground who need assistance in getting the clean-up accomplished. In the same way following 9/11 I generated new designs the proceeds of which benefitted firemen and sniffer dogs in the New York area.
In the mean time dive safely and fish responsibly.
It is our collective responsibility to conserve the marine environment and maintain the biodiversity of the planet.
— Guy Harvey
For a complete list of our other featured blog posts and to see the full line of Guy Harvey Sportswear, please visit: www.guyharveysportswear.com
The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series
Catch and Release Shark Tournament Hailed as a Model for Sport Fishing Enthusiasts and Marine Conservationists
The Tournament Series will be an all-release shark fishing tournament off the Southwest Florida coast, beginning with a qualifying round April 30 – May 2 at Burnt Store Marina in Lee County and concluding with a Grand Championship Finale May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota County. The grand prize, based on fifteen, two-man team entries, is $10,000 with additional payouts through fifth place. Incentives will also be offered for a variety of bonuses, including largest shark and recaptured tags. The entire competition will be filmed for network broadcast.
To reduce landing times, innovative competitive guidelines require the use of heavy conventional tackle (no spinning reels), an 80 pound minimum line class and inline, non-stainless steel circle hooks. There is a five-foot minimum length for all qualifying species, which include: shortfin mako, tiger, great hammer, scalloped hammer, dusky, sand tiger, bull, lemon, sandbar, spinner, blacktip and nurse sharks. All animals will be measured in the water and identified by anglers at boat side before being tagged, either conventionally or with satellite tracking tags. Tail snares and other special equipment will be used for angler and animal safety, as well as for the expedient handling and release of sharks.
“For the first time, what we call a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ shark tournament will be transformed into a true spectator sport,” said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are tournament directors and architects of the event’s unique format. Along with Co-Director and Associate Producer, Captain Robert Moore, they state, “Our shared vision for this tournament is to effectively combine the goals of sport, science and conservation, while giving participants and spectators the most exciting, entertaining and educational shark-infested, multimedia spectacle found anywhere on the planet.”
In 2009, the Paxtons, and Robert E. Hueter, Ph D., Director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research (CSR), teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey to present this innovative competitive event designed to serve as a model for responsible sport fishing and conservation.
“The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series will be a uniquely exciting event for participants, spectators and everyone who cares about the future of our oceans,” Guy Harvey said.
Joining tournament directors, Mote and Guy Harvey in this ambitious effort are partners and supporters: Ray Judah, Lee County Commissioner; Luke Tipple, Director of Shark-Free Marinas Initiative; Florida Gulf Coast University and other advocates of effective environmental stewardship.
Dr. Robert Hueter, director of Mote’s Center for Shark Research, will oversee the scientific aspects of the tournament. In addition to using standard tagging methods, some of the sharks will be outfitted with satellite tags in a cooperative effort with Lee County and the Florida Gulf Coast University so researchers and the general public can track their movements immediately after release.
Hueter has built specific scientific objectives into the tournament and collaborative research project. Anticipated results include:
- Documentation of shark species composition, relative abundance and size/sex data
- Migratory behavior and stock identification data from conventional tagging studies
- Post-release survivorship estimates
- Identification of shark critical habitats, including nursery ground
Teams participating in the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge will be trained to conventionally tag all qualifying sharks over 5 feet in length to earn points.
One priority in this project will be to satellite-tag certain candidate species including large female great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran) which are found in the tournament region in April-May, often pregnant. The pupping grounds for this species in the eastern Gulf of Mexico are relatively unknown, and satellite tags on these large sharks will help to elucidate the location of these critical habitats. Once the shark is measured and scored by the competing anglers, it will be handed off to the research team who will place a satellite tag and release the fish.
For all event details and contact information, visit:
TheUltimateSharkChallenge.com
Additional info:
GuyHarveyOceanFoundation.org
Mote.org
Photos provided by: The Shark Brothers & Captain Robert Moore
A conundrum for management and conservation of one of the Atlantic’s most overfished oceanic species
Here’s an eye-opening tale of how little we really know about the diversity of life in our oceans. And why scientific information is so critical for sustaining our fisheries. A simple case of mistaken fish species identity has really messed up what we thought we knew about the magnificent, but severely overfished white marlin. Furthermore, this unrecognized mistake, which has occurred for decades, is raising serious questions about how we can better manage the white marlin to ensure its future survival.
So what’s this mistake? It turns out that for years, anglers thinking they were catching the prized white marlin may have caught an entirely different species instead! Just three years ago, a team of scientists from the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University and NOAA Fisheries in Florida made a startling discovery – they confirmed the existence of a previously unrecognized billfish species that looks very similar to a white marlin (see photo). Known as the roundscale spearfish, this new billfish species has now been found throughout the Atlantic Ocean, where its distribution overlaps that of the real white marlin.
Then in December 2009, the same scientific team reported that roundscale spearfish made up a significant portion (about 27%) of the commercial catch that was previously believed to be white marlin.
By now you may be asking, “what’s the fuss?” The problem is that because the existence of the roundscale spearfish was unrecognized until recently, its inadvertent misidentification as white marlin for decades makes past assessments of white marlin population sizes – which are based on fisheries catch data – inaccurate. Basically, what used to be called the “white marlin” was actually a mixture of two species!
What does this mean for the future of the threatened, real white marlin? Given huge concerns about its depleted populations, two petitions (in 2002 and 2007) to list the white marlin under the U.S. Endangered Species Act were considered. If such a listing had gone through, it would likely have put an end to white marlin fishing tournaments, which infuse millions of dollars into the recreational fishing industry as well as local economies. Now the discovery of a look-alike species, realization of it’s long-standing mix-up with white marlin, and the fact that it makes up a substantial portion of past “white marlin” catch, raises considerable confusion regarding the accuracy of our biological knowledge about white marlin and its population sizes. Two issues are clear: First, it’s back to the drawing board to figure out what the white marlin population size really is and how to better manage this species before its populations completely crash. Second, it also means that there is another large billfish species out there (the roundscale spearfish) that we know nothing about and that could very well also be declining rapidly due to overfishing.
I find it remarkable that the existence of a large billfish species in U.S. waters went unnoticed until just three years ago! This “oops” moment points to the urgent need for more scientific research about our planet’s oceans before we lose even more biodiversity.
The good news is that the scientific team from the GHRI and NOAA Fisheries is making fast progress on developing the tools and providing the information needed to help fishery managers better conserve the white marlin and roundscale spearfish. Thank you for your continued support of such important scientific research through the purchase of Guy Harvey sportswear. It makes a statement that you care about the welfare of our fragile oceans!
Previously known for fishing clothing and fishing T shirts for hard core fishermen, Guy Harvey jewelry and clothing is gaining popularity with anyone that loves the ocean and the coastal lifestyle.
Irvine, CA (PRWEB) February 17, 2010 — Guy Harvey’s famous marine wildlife artwork is now seen being worn not only by fishermen, but by men and women, college students, teens and even young kids. And most recently Guy Harvey’s artwork is showing up as fine jewelry on beautiful swimsuit models like Brooklyn Decker and Anne V in the recently released 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Guy Harvey Nautical Jewelry
Brooklyn Decker and friends sport Guy Harvey Jewelry in 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue “It was like walking up to the plate in the world series and hitting the ball out of the park at first bat,” said Jim Fortescue, owner of Nautora, the official licensee and manufacturer of Guy Harvey Jewelry. “I couldn’t possibly envision a better promotional opportunity than on the pages of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for our nautical jewelry line.”
Just a few years ago, the primary place you might see Guy Harvey’s artwork outside of a picture frame, was on fishing t shirts worn by salt water fishermen. But that has changed as evidenced not only by the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, but by the millions of dollars in Guy Harvey clothing being sold through retailers across the U.S. and online to a wide variety of people of all ages.
Anne V wearing Guy Harvey Jewelry
“Guy Harvey clothing, jewelry, and other licensed products are really striking a chord with a broad cross section of people across the country,” said Bill Shedd, owner of AFTCO Bluewater, the licensee for Guy Harvey apparel and operator of the newly launched official online store GuyHarveySportswear.com. “We have watched long lines of people of all ages wrapping around the block, waiting for an autograph at Guy Harvey’s signing events…Moms with 10 year old sons, Dads with 17 year old daughters, and college students both male and female,” Shedd continued.
“I think Guy Harvey’s growing popularity is more than just about beautiful fish art as fashion, said Mahmood Shivji, Director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University. “Guy Harvey is all about conservation, about sustainability, about educating the public, and about saving our oceans and the marine life so that future generations will be able to appreciate and use the marine resource as we have. No one is more passionate and involved with the ocean than Guy Harvey. He doesn’t just talk about it, he does something about it. A portion of every Guy Harvey jewelry, clothing and other licensed product sale goes to fund important marine research, and I believe informed consumers that love our oceans really relate to Guy’s commitment.”
Jessica White wearing Guy Harvey
Guy Harvey’s Facebook page has over 109,000 actively engaged fans, many of them college students and younger, supporting the claim of a widening audience. Both Guy Harvey Jewelry and Guy Harvey Sportswear are actively seeking additional product placement opportunities.
About Guy Harvey Jewelry
Guy Harvey’s artwork is now featured in a line of fine jewelry. Nautora has transferred Guy Harvey’s ocean themed artwork into three dimensional works of personal designer jewelry. The new jewelry line features an assortment of Marlins, Sailfish, Porpoises, Sharks, Hummingbirds, Sea Turtles, King Mackerel, Tarpon, Dorado, Macaw and Tropical Fish. The line features delicate pieces for the ladies, and robust, heavier pieces for the guys. Nautora has used a variety of combinations of sterling silver, 18k gold, platinum, diamonds and gemstones to create an impressive selection. All pieces in the line have Guy’s signature exquisitely featured on the reverse side. Guy Harvey’s Signature Jewelry is available at many fine retail stores. Prices range from $59.95 to $30,000. To locate a retailer go to http://www.guyharveyjewelry.com/locator/
About Guy Harvey Sportswear
Guy Harvey Sportswear represents a full line (over 7,000 styles and sizes) of high quality Guy Harvey Men’s fishing t shirts featuring his extraordinary detailed paintings of big game fish like marlin, sailfish, tuna and more, in addition to other men’s fishing clothing like tech and performance shirts, fishing shorts, fishing hats, belts, shoes, and sandals. There is also a wide selection of Women’s clothing including dresses, skirts, shorts, knits, tanks, and tops, in addition to popular new Junior’s and Young Men’s t shirt lines featuring more youthful designs and a slimmer cut. The Youth department includes fishing shirts, t shirts, and hats. Guy Harvey Sportswear is available at many retail locations as well as online at: http://www.guyharveysportswear.com/ (A retailer locator is available on the site.)
On February 2nd, Guy Harvey and Wyland met up in Guy’s home country the Cayman Islands to collaborate on a mural in front of the Guy Harvey Gallery & Shoppe. Proceeds from the sale of the mural will be donated to the Cayman Island Turtle Farm’s release program that is helping to replenish the Green Sea Turtle stock. During the event Wyland and Guy also worked together to help teach local island kids some of the finer points of marine art.
Wyland painting with the kids
Guy Harvey and Wyland are the world’s most famous marine artists, but their similarities don’t stop there. They share a passion for the ocean and for educating the world about important ocean issues through their art, their foundations (Wyland Foundation and Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation) and through their many business and personal activities.
Guy and Wyland working on the mural, with Wyland sporting his Guy Harvey t-shirt
Both are world class divers and Wyland was inducted into the SCUBA Diving Hall of Fame last week. Guy is also a world-renowned angler and was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame last fall.
I am blessed to call each of them my friend. They both possess many wonderful talents and traits, but the fact that they admire each other’s work, are friends and speak highly of each other is unique.
In this competitive “me first” world of “I am better than you”, it is a beautiful thing to see the world’s two most talented marine artists working together so closely for the benefit of the world’s oceans and the creatures who call it home.
I would like to welcome you to the Guy Harvey Sportswear web site. Here we will feature my blog where I will report on expeditions, adventures, and various marine conservation efforts. We will also include various guest bloggers, videos and photos that I believe you will find interesting, whether you are a serious fishing or diving enthusiast, or simply someone who cares about the marine resource, loves living the coastal lifestyle, or just wants to learn more about Guy Harvey sportswear.
I would like to welcome you to the Guy Harvey Sportswear web site. Here we will feature my blog where I will report on expeditions, adventures, and various marine conservation efforts. We will also include various guest bloggers, videos and photos that I believe you will find interesting, whether you are a serious fishing or diving enthusiast, or simply someone who cares about the marine resource, loves living the coastal lifestyle, or just wants to learn more about Guy Harvey sportswear.
