Extreme Marine was founded by Janneman Conradie. A South African raised in the Western Cape, Janneman has been a waterman his entire life- freediving, fishing, SCUBA diving. He got his commercial diving license in 2008 but quickly changed tact deciding rather to dedicate his life to conservation. After receiving a bachelors of science degree from the University of South Africa in Environmental Management and Zoology, Janneman moved to Mozambique in 2009. He joined forces with the Marine Megafauna Foundation, an organization that was co-founded by his wife Dr. Andrea Marshall. He initially used his skills as a highly trained microlight pilot to develop the organization’s aerial surveillance work along the southern coastline. Conducting wildlife censuses and marine megafauna transects, he offered researchers a new perspective- enabling them to capture abundance and distribution data more effectively.

An explorer at heart, Janneman used his growing knowledge of the region to help MMF expand to the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in the north of the Inhambane province in 2012. Seeing the encroaching threats to the north and the south of this region, Janneman has been instrumental in efforts to develop extensions and buffer zones around the National Park and the neighboring Vilanculos Marine Wildlife Sanctuary. He is currently working widely with stakeholders to expand protection and help create, what we believe to be, one of the most important seascapes in Africa.

Janneman found his stride at MMF running logistics and field operations for their research and conservation teams. His practical, level headed approach helped the teams to achieve their goals in the field and focus on the work at hand and not on the details of the expedition. Realizing the value in this service Janneman began working full-time in this capacity for the organization, first in Mozambique and then for their global manta ray research team. He later began offering these services to other NGO’s, protected area managers and companies in a bid to help them better execute their work in the field.

A talented underwater cinematographer, Janneman also began shooting international productions for broadcast giants like Netflix, National Geographic and the BBC. He has built an impressive underwater and aerial stock library. He has also contributed to countless underwater documentaries and wildlife series over the years and is currently working on a feature documentary about the Bazaruto Seascape. With intimate knowledge of the eastern African coastline and his growing experience with productions and filming, Janneman has slowly become the go to logistics expert for film companies, photographers and expedition crews in Mozambique. From his base in Vilanculos he now assists with a variety of film productions, keen to help put Mozambique on an international stage and generate momentum for the protection of the Inhambane coastline.

While Janneman specializes in marine conservation missions, he has also contributed to many terrestrial conservation-based projects in the Klaserie/Timbavati game reserves, Sabi Game Park, Gorongosa National Park, and private farms in the Save River Region.