Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wins major maritime broadcast award
First Sea Lord comments on HMS Daring’s emergency dash to Philippines
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has won the coveted Donald Gosling film award at this year’s Maritime Media Awards.
Judges said his series Hugh’s Fish Fight had “made history” because it entertained yet also awakened public concern over the destructive way our seas and fish stocks are managed.
Last night (November 13) he and production company Keo Films were honoured at the 2013 Awards dinner, held at London’s Institute of Directors.
Hugh said that the programme had resulted in a European ban on the “outrageous practice” of discarding caught fish at sea:
“What we have shown is that when people get together and make their feelings about the oceans known, things can change. Everyone involved in Hugh’s Fish Fight is absolutely thrilled with this award. It’s fantastic to be recognised by a group whose interest is the future of the oceans themselves.”
Over 150 journalists, business figures and senior naval officers attended the Awards, which were presented by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas.
The winners were:
- The Desmond Wettern Media Award for best journalistic contribution: David Glenn, editor of Yachting World
- The Desmond Wettern Fleet Award for best media contribution from HM ship, submarine, Royal Navy air squadron or Royal Marine unit: Type-23 frigate HMS Monmouth.
- The Donald Gosling Broadcast Award for best television, film or radio contribution: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Keo Films for the Channel 4 television series Hugh’s Fish Fight.
- The Mountbatten Maritime Award for best literary contribution: Rose George for her book Deep Sea and Foreign Going.
- The Maritime Fellowship Award for an outstanding contribution in a particular maritime field: Andrew Linington, editor of Nautilus Telegraph.
Admiral Sir George Zambellas said:
“I salute all those journalists, writers and programme makers who have made such a welcome, creative and high-quality contribution to raising public awareness of maritime matters. The Maritime Foundation works tirelessly to explain our dependency on the sea. It’s right that it does because the world’s oceans connect nations and peoples around the globe. Indeed, the unique access they provide has allowed this week’s diversion of HMS Daring to the stricken Philippines – to provide humanitarian assistance from the sea.”
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Editors’ Notes
- Further details of the awards can be found by logging onto www.bmcf.org.uk.
- Desmond Wettern wrote on maritime affairs for over 30 years but is probably best known for his role as the Daily Telegraph’s naval correspondent. He was so respected within the Royal Navy that the service sent a signal to every ship and naval establishment to inform them of his death in 1991.
- The Maritime Media Awards were established in 1995 with a single journalism prize presented in his memory.
- Over the years the event has steadily grown to become the largest and most prestigious within the maritime sector.
- The Maritime Foundation was set up in the early 1980s to promote Britain’s interest across the maritime sector.
- Its purpose is to inform and raise public and parliamentary awareness of the importance of our maritime industries, commerce and defence.
- For further information please call Ali Kefford on 07775 737062.
Ends.
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Gallery
A selection of photos from the Maritime Media Awards 2013. More photos are available from the Maritime Foundation’s Flickr Photostream.
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