Since the 1953 launch of the first modern diver’s watch, Fifty Fathoms, Blancpain has made ocean discovery and protection a priority. In line with this commitment, the Brand is announcing a new partnership with Biopixel Oceans Foundation and Biopixel. The aim of this collaboration is to support scientific research, propose innovative restoration solutions and raise public awareness of the need to preserve one of nature’s jewels: the Great Barrier Reef.
Through its Blancpain Ocean Commitment initiative, Blancpain has been contributing for several years to the development of concrete and tangible advances in the protection of the underwater world. In addition to its many existing partnerships, the Brand has decided to join forces with the Australian Biopixel Oceans Foundation and the multimedia production company Biopixel, specialising in ocean research and exploration.
Blancpain supports Biopixel’s activities in two ways: scientific research to learn more about certain species and impact conservation decisions; and production of a series of films focusing on personalities who dedicate their lives to protecting and saving the Great Barrier Reef. Through science, innovative technology and sustainable practices of projects including coral restoration, habitat management, animal rehabilitation and megafauna research, this multi-disciplinary project stems from Biopixel’s close collaboration with Blancpain, Australian authorities and universities, as well as local communities such as the traditional owners who have held deep cultural ties with the Great Barrier Reef for centuries.
Biopixel Oceans Foundation’s scientific research, led by marine biologists Richard Fitzpatrick and Dr. Adam Barnett, seeks to analyse the movements of marine animals such as sharks and manta rays, between protected areas and endangered zones and to study the behaviour of sharks and marine life with human interactions. The public can track several of these animals online in real-time and observe their journey across the Great Barrier Reef, such as the two Whale sharks affectionately named Blancpain & Fifty Fathoms. Since 2019, several research expeditions have been conducted, to gather robust information on the movement behaviour, migrations and habitat use of various species over time.
In parallel to the foundation’s research activities, Biopixel produces captivating footage in high definition (8K) enabling the public to discover the beauty of marine ecosystems and understand the importance of protecting them. Each episode will be built around spectacular underwater footage telling the story of scientific and ground-breaking research. The series is set to be launched in the last quarter of 2022.
The aim of the collaboration between Blancpain and the Biopixel Group is to contribute to the health and survival of the Great Barrier Reef.
Biopixel Oceans Foundation and Biopixel
Biopixel Oceans Foundation facilitates and undertakes scientific research, exploration and education, to raise awareness for the underwater world. In partnership with leading academic institutions, and other NGO’s, Biopixel and the Biopixel Oceans Foundation support numerous reef restoration and other marine environmental projects and provide footage and scientific information to influence conservation decisions, improve knowledge of under-researched species and instil a passion for the oceans in younger generations.
Biopixel is an Australian film company specialising in nature and animal behaviour sequences, particularly of aquatic life. Founded in 2013 by Richard Fitzpatrick and Bevan Slattery, Biopixel was born of a shared passion for technology, diving, nature and the great outdoors. In partnership with James Cook University in Cairns, Biopixel operates one of the largest underwater filming facilities in the world. The company’s clients include world-renowned media outlets such as the Netflix, BBC, National Geographic, ARTE and Discovery Channel.
Link: www.biopixeloceans.org
Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC)
Exploring and preserving the world’s oceans is core to Blancpain. Throughout the nearly 70-year history of the Fifty Fathoms – the world’s first modern diving watch – Blancpain has woven close ties with the explorers, photographers, scientists, and environmentalists who treasure these precious resources. These affinities have inspired the Brand to support important activities and initiatives dedicated to the oceans.
In recent years, the Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC) has invested in oceanographic initiatives and partnerships with leading institutions, such as the Pristine Seas expeditions, Laurent Ballesta’s Gombessa project, the World Ocean Initiative organised by The Economist, and World Oceans Day, which takes place every year at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
To date, all these activities in support of exploring and preserving the oceans, undertaken with great passion by Blancpain, have led to tangible results, and made a significant contribution in extending the surface area of marine protected areas around the world, with the addition of more than four million square kilometres.
