THIS year's Brian Black Memorial Award for new marine environmental journalism is now open for entrants.
The award was established in 2021 to commemorate the late UTV environment correspondent and his wife, Lesley Black, who were keen sailors. A film-maker and broadcaster, Brian used his boat to capture first-hand footage of melting glaciers to tell the story of global warming.
For the first time, Yachting Monthly's Brian Black Memorial Award is offering two £2,000 cash prizes, for best-written 1,800-word article and best 10-minute video about marine environmental issues explored by sailing boat. Sponsored by B&G, the award also includes a donation of £1,500 to marine conservation charity, Sea-Changers, which raises funds for grass-roots conservation projects around the UK coastline.
The winning article and video, along with two runners-up from each category, will be published in Yachting Monthly and on its online channels.
The award aims to encourage other sailors to use their boats to share the stories of the places and wildlife they encounter on their voyages with the wider world. This year, the award is focusing on coastal biodiversity, its beauty and wonder, and the crisis it is facing.
Brian and Lesley Black's daughter, Sarah Brown, a marine environmental consultant who is part of the judging panel for the awards, says: “Dad would go that extra mile for a story or an image. Whether he was confronting people illegally threatening wildlife or getting washed away by a collapsing glacier, he was pretty fearless when he had a story to unearth.
"Every year, he would sail his small yacht north and capture stories about retreating glaciers and threatened wildlife and come home to share them with TV audiences. Often battered and bruised, he loved the adventure associated with ‘getting that shot’ and I hope we see some of that come through in this year’s entrants!”
Previous winners include Jon Amtrup, who witnessed the retreat of glaciers in Svalbard during voyages to the island over 12 consecutive years, and Sophie Dingwall, who crossed the Atlantic and recounted how remote islands are being buried beneath mountains of ocean plastic.
The judging panel for the award also includes Volvo Ocean Race skipper Dee Caffari MBE, Vendée Globe veteran Mike Golding OBE, conservation expert Dr Bob Brown and the Yachting Monthly team.
Entries should be submitted by August 6 via yachtingmonthly.com/brian-black-award.
