Registration for the 2012 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit closes this Friday, October 12th! This exciting event will be held on Saturday, November 3rd, 2012 at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL! Youth participants attending this year’s summit will learn from marine scientists and conservationists about current threats facing marine ecosystems, will work with mentors to develop action plans for their own ocean conservation projects, and will take part in workshops designed to give them the skills necessary to successfully implement these projects. Participants will also get the chance to network with conservation organizations, and other young people who are passionate about ocean conservation! New workshops and sessions will be offered for returning participants to further develop their ongoing ocean conservation work! To register for the summit, visit the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit website and complete the online registration form. The registration fee for the event is $13 per participant, and includes lunch, snacks, and program materials.

Community Ocean Conservation Film Festival: In addition to the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit on November 3rd, on Friday evening, November 2nd, at 7PM, Mote Marine Laboratory will host a screening of the award-winning film, This is Your Ocean: Sharks, which will be introduced by shark conservationist/film star Jim Abernethy and the film’s 2-time Emmy Award winning director, George Schellenger. Tickets are available for this event and are $6 for youth and $12 for adults, with all proceeds benefiting the youth-driven ocean conservation projects planned by students attending the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit held the next day. Additionally participants will have the chance to view ocean conservation short films produced by students and have a chance to enter a raffle for prizes including Wyland artwork! Tickets for the film festival can be purchased from the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit website. Be sure to purchase your ticket as soon as possible to ensure you have a seat!