Reel Ocean

We are so excited to announce that our first film “Hope in the Water” is an official selection at the Nature Without Borders International Film Festival competition! We are a team of marine conservationists on a mission to explain the most up-to-date science in our field and about ocean solutions in an easy-to-understand and engaging way via storytelling and filmmaking. This film is the story of our company's founder and how parts of his life are analogous to the oceans conditions. This took eight months of hard work and dedication to produce, and we will be continuing our mission for years to come! Go watch our film via the link in our bio or click the link in our story! . . . #filmfestival #naturewithoutborders #marineconservation #hopeinthewater

We all have 2 lives. The second begins when you realize you only have one ☝️ Live it up! Follow for more 🎥 🐠 🌊 . . . #oceancontent #marinebio #floridakeys #marineconservation #gopro

Barracudas, or cuda, are large, predatory, ray-finned fish found in the tropics and subtropics. They can be found near the water surface, coral reefs, or sea grasses. Being opportunistic predators, they can swim in short bursts up to 27 mph to overtake their prey! . Read more about marine conservation in our bio! . We plant a mangrove tree for every subscriber! . 🎥 original . #oceanconservation #marinebiology #marineconservation

A new treaty comes into force to govern life on the high seas. #marinebio #marineconservation #highseas #oceaneducation

We are excited to announce that MORAES has a new project for 2025....The Safe Hatch Initiative! We are currently looking for sponsors for this new initiative! If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, visit our website at /safehatch. Read more about this project below! As a native species on Virginia Key, raccoons play an important role within the barrier island's ecosystem. In 2024 however, the data from the MORAES Sea Turtle Nesting Program showed that close to 60% of the endangered loggerhead sea turtle nests on Virginia Key were being interfered with by raccoons. So what do we do? Together, with our project partners, Turtl Project and Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, and with assistance from Florida Environmental and Wildlife Management Service (FEWMS) and the Miccosukee Indian Reservation, MORAES plans to survey, assess, and analyze the raccoon population on Historic Virginia Key Beach Park to determine what can be done to increase the number of sea turtles reaching our oceans AND ensure both the wildlife and ecosystem as a whole are protected. If raccoon populations prove to exceed that of historical numbers, a percentage of those raccoons will be humanely and safely relocated to areas of need within the Miccosukee Indian Reservation located within the Everglades. Zero animals will be harmed for the duration of this research project.

Happy Earth Day 🌎 🌱 Go out and explore the beauty Mother Nature has to offer! #earthday #oceansmatter #marinebio #underwaterfilming

We spotted this beautiful yellow seahorse in an underwater cave in Thailand! Thailand is home to various seahorse species, particularly in areas like the Andaman Sea, where seahorses can be found around coral reefs and sometimes in caves. While they don’t possess special night vision, seahorses living in caves may rely heavily on their independently moving eyes to spot prey in the dim light filtering into the cave. Caves often have more stable water temperatures and conditions compared to open water, which could offer a more consistent habitat, reducing stress caused by temperature fluctuations. Seahorses living in caves are less commonly observed and may be rare, which could make them more vulnerable to habitat disturbances, like human activity or pollution in coastal waters. Any idea of what kind of seahorse this is? #seahorses #marinebio #underwatercave #thailand #gopro360

We’ve been a little busy in production of our next film but here’s a compilation of some of our trips over the years. The ocean is an immense world filled with beauty and hope! You just have to go in and look for it 🤿 #marineconservation #marinebio #oceanguys #coralreefs

Check out what we’re doing on Virginia Key Beach! Under the FWC marine turtle permit MTP-24-153, MORAES helps with Virginia Key sea turtle nesting survey. Each and every morning throughout the nesting season (May 1st through October 31st), our trained and permitted team lead passionate interns and volunteers across the island’s beaches to monitor, track, and document marine sea turtle nesting activity, most of which focus around the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta. The data collected from this seasonal project is imperative to track sea turtle population trends and coordinate the necessary conservation efforts on an annual basis. Thank you to @Reelocean for this incredible video!

It’s been a long road but it’s finally come to an end! Fortunately we had the forethought to film this final stage and could not be happier with the results! You can now view how the Australian Pines removal became a reality and what a unique experience it truly was! Follow us from start to finish through the process of invasive vegetation removal, native planting, and dune restoration, and view the whole video on YouTube (soflomoraes)

It’s World Ocean Day! Celebrate by protecting and educating yourself about these blue wonders. Reducing plastic use, cleaning up beaches with your friends, seeking out and enjoying sustainably caught seafood, conserving our water use, and learning about marine conservation issues are great ways to start! What’s your favorite way to help our oceans? 🌊 🪸 🐠 #worldoceansday #marineconservation #marinebiologist #filmmakers

SharkSafe Barriers, supported by CI Ventures, aims to demonstrate that humans and sharks can coexist peacefully. Their goal is to change public perception of sharks and highlight their importance to the ocean’s health, while providing a safe environment for beachgoers. #sharkconservation #marineconservation #positivenews #oceantech