If you have been around Wetpixel, you probably have seen the name Simon Spear pop up often in the forums. Simon is an accomplished filmaker as shown by his multiple wins in the Our World Underwater competition and his award-winning feature documentary Sharks In British Seas.

Recently Simon started releasing details about his most recent endeavor, The Fin Trail, which is a full length documentary currently in production. In addition to shooting and editing the documentary, Simon is also a co-producer. The Fin Trail stands out in that a panel of leading NGOs are involved in the project from the outset. The NGOs include the Shark Trust, the Shark Conservation Society, Greenpeace, Project AWARE, Zoological Society of London and, as of last week, the Nature Conservancy of China.

The Fin Trail will trace the supply chains of shark fins from all over the world to the major consumer markets of China and South East Asia. Legal and illegal fin trails will be investigated, the facts and science behind the plight of sharks heading towards extinction will be discussed and then the film will be shown to consumers of Shark fins. In fact, Steve Bowles and Richard Pierce, two co-producers of the film, are flying to China in early June to help ensure that the film will reach audiences in China.

The project will be shot throughout the world during 2011-2012, with planned releases to cinema, television and DVD by mid-2013.

Further information on The Fin Trail and the people behind it can be found on its website.