German-born, Jamaican-raised conservationist, artist and marine biologist Guy Harvey is now in Jamaica to participate in the 55th Montego Bay Annual International Marlin Tournament and to continue documenting his life’s work in both the art and marine life industries.

Accompanying Harvey are his family, friends and videographer George Schellenger, who is recording the Jamaican aspect of Harvey’s life in the documentary he’s currently filming, to be released early next year.

The documentary is being produced in celebration of Harvey’s 30 years in the business of marine art, for which he has become known worldwide and has grown to include apparel and other lifestyle items.

Schellenger, who has worked with Harvey for the past six years on some 13 documentaries, will capture the artist’s visit to his home and other major influences of his life and work.

So far, they have filmed in Darliston where Harvey grew up. Additionally, he and his team took a tour of the border of Darliston and Bethel Town in an effort to record, in essence, his ‘how it all began’ story, how his parents influenced the person he’s become and how relevant Jamaica is to that story.

In addition to filming a very significant piece of his life, Harvey is in the second city to spread the message of conservation to this year’s Montego Bay marlin tournament participants and anglers.

“Most important is this short, to-the-point presentation that I will be giving about why there’s a need to conserve billfish, why we need to study them and what we can do to help as citizen scientists,” he said.

In fact, Harvey has been working closely with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Jamaica and introduced catch and release to Jamaica in 1989. He has, over the years, worked at all tournaments across the island — Montego Bay, Falmouth, Discovery Bay and Port Antonio — from 1973 to 1993 where over 2,000 marlins were caught and released.

When asked about the future of marine life in Jamaica, Harvey expressed confidence that things can and will change as long as people are interested and engaged in conservationist methods of sport fishing.

“Things have to change because of the rate of extraction, the growth of the human population, the demand on seafood,” he said. “The long-term solution should be the next thing… what are we going to do about it?”

The 55th Montego Bay Annual International Marlin Tournament began on Monday, September 19 with the Canoe Tournament and will run until tomorrow, ending with the Raft up and Beach Party at Doctor’s Cave Beach.