Sea the Truth

2010, Environment  -   27 Comments
8.59
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Ratings: 8.59/10 from 317 users.

This is the planet we still know so little. We call it Earth but less than 1/3 is land, over 2/3 is water and we use that water as a dumping site for our waste and as if it's an inexhaustible "horn of plenty" for humans. Our most important ecosystem is on the verge of collapse unless we act now. At this very moment the main problem with the oceans is that they're getting emptier and emptier. If we don't do anything then we face one of the biggest disasters in history of mankind.

If you look at the predators only about 90% of all predatory fish is gone. Then from all the other commercial fish species almost 80% is gone. The best thing to do to solve the problem is to quit eating fish.

People who don't dive have no idea how beautiful the underwater world is. The biodiversity is so immense and you see the most amazing creatures. What you can see under the water is art. Almost everywhere underwater photographer Dos Winkel dives he is faced with devastation. Taking a passive stance was not an option. He seizes every opportunity to use his photographs and tell the story of a world that is on the verge of vanishing.

Is it conceivable that the oceans will be empty in 30 years? If so, we humans are responsible. Two young marine biologists set out to do research for us - Marianne van Mierlo and Barbara van Genne. In this film (sequel to Meat the Truth) we sum up the facts why our seas and oceans are in great danger. First we find a survey by the University of British Columbia which shows that fish stocks in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1900 were megatons of fish in the sea. Hundred years later nearly everything is gone.

Professor Daniel Pauly has been publishing about the effects of global over-fishing for years. We have a situation where we are already starting losing fish population at an increasing rate. Pauly is one of the most renowned researches concerning the state in the oceans. For his work he has received honorary doctorates from universities in Greece, Belgium, Canada, Portugal and the Netherlands.

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27 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Dave

    Eating meat causes cancer in humans. At least it will reduce the human population of those meaters. Someting good comes of their mis-informed eating habits.

    1. Allie

      I totally agree.

  2. Pfunk

    Let’s all castrate our selves and call our fathers Wendy!

  3. john

    Yum this makes me hungry for some deep fried breaded ice cream.

  4. Karl Polanyi

    Very simplistic narrative with respect to the status of the oceans - problem and solution. Worth considering, for example, re: Newfoundland cod collapse, inshore fishermen were very vocal with respect to the poor status of the stocks, scientific models, on the other hand, indicated that the stocks were in good health, overestimating abundance by a factor of 2 (this is in stark contrast to the claim made in the film that scientific evidence was ignored...)

  5. john

    I say we drain the oceans and use the water to cool off the interior of this stupid planet. Then we can have lots more land to fight wars over and the elite can build condos for themselves at the center of the earth where they can control us in air conditioned comfort. This will work well and we can quit all this worry about the oceans. I mean we ARE NOT going to do anything about it anyway. So don't worry, be happy.

  6. pradip namdeo chogale

    Thank you , to make such informative documentary . In india we need more action plan to protect our ocean.

  7. Mei Ling

    This is a beautiful film, thanks for doing this. But I think to say " to stop eating fish" is to simple to say when it comes to save the ocean. Everything starts from education. As an adult, we make decisions by ourselves and may be influenced by others sometimes. Children, however, has no much options when it comes to the food. To me, it is much important to explain to your kids about why we should stop or reduce eating fish.

  8. suzanne petersen

    How did they measure how many tons of fish were in the ocean 100 years ago?

  9. Chantay C

    Let's stop eating fish, everyday conventional meat too. Let's eat organic as much as possible. Let's support positive change. In the last couple years organic foods are more sought after so much so they're in stores like Wal-Mart. We as consumers can influence producers in the food industry and are doing so everyday.

    I saw this video about two years ago and since then I have forgotten the devastating numbers concerning our oceans drop in wildlife. Don't forget like I did. Encourage family and friends. Support economic change. Make a difference where you can, though it seems small. And make it a permanent lifestyle change. I pray to God in heaven that more of us can make a difference and preserve life in our oceans and on our land for ourselves and our children. The facts concerning the dying of our oceans is terrifying. We must share the statistics. No more littering, we all must recycle.

    To have a real place in our oceans the size of half of Europe densely filled with plastic and other pollutants is heartbreaking. To have almost 90% of ocean predators disappear from our oceans at the hand of man is unprecedented. To have almost 80% of commercial fish to disappear also is inexcusable.

    Between the abuse of farm animals and the ravishment of our oceans, the inhumanity of man is reaching a precipice and all of our forces must be united to confront these globalized crimes.

    Another life changing documentary you must see is called "Vegucated".

  10. traveler

    Excellent documentary. Thank you! It's time the world begin to discuss our biggest issue we all face as a humans - overpopulation! It's real and we should be talking about these things before it's too late.

  11. pradip n chogale

    To watching this film i am very unhappy to known the present status of ocean of world. Thanks for share such beautiful documantre. Yes and i am try to not eating the fish.

  12. Joshua Marks

    Another taste of how things are - where they're going - and what (read: "who") caused it... Should be required education for the masses and a part of the clockwork-orange-toothpick-propped-eyelids curriculum for those atop the power structure.

  13. DocLover247

    Another bit of proof that humans are the plague of the world. They will never accept this until it's FAR too late. Reminds me of that video by "Disturbed" called "Another Way To Die". EXCELLENT VIDEO

    Overpopulation of people on this planet is reaching epic proportion. I still give a chuckle to the Americans I live around complaining about low wages and high gas prices. It's amazing the disconnect and state of denial that the civilized population is in.
    Let's see, a population growing at alarming rates, technology that is eliminating human intervention (No matter what they tell you), 3rd world countries coming up in the world...finally.
    More people + better technology = less jobs + more people = lower wages
    3rd world countries going from riding bikes to driving cars = Higher gas prices.
    WOW...that was tough!!!!

    I remember as a small child, a news report came across the TV one day...they were increasing the amount of Deer you can hunt that year. Even as a child with a half developed brain... that seemed quite odd to me. I lived in "the country". 30 mins. away from all the hustle and bustle, yet still all around me...houses were being built.
    And of course Deer live in the woods...so if there is no woods.. there is no place for deer to live. I looked at my dad and said "but isn't there too many people living where deer live, and not too many deer?" My father gave me one of those looks...the "hope he will just be quiet so I don't have to explain things"
    So, overpopulation, add in a capitalistic economy which takes nothing into account other than some made up form of paper(including the environment), sprinkle in ignorance and what do you get?
    A society hell bent on destroying everything but itself...all the while destroying itself.

    I only ask you one thing....When the "News" tells you there are too many animals.....or tht everything is OK....Don't be quiet...explain to your friends of family what is REALLY going on.
    Information is power.
    Earth will move on with or without humans.
    It is up to us to save our own species.........But I have my doubts......

    1. Allie

      Fantastic comment! You're absolutely right - we need to ALL speak up & not just sit quietly while allowing distruction to continue. Those precious creatures & our earth NEED us as their voice.

  14. JOSEPH WAGNER

    I don't see the problem of trawling and overfishing changing until this ridiculous economic system changes. An economic system relying on perpetual growth is at odds with sustainability and ocean conservation. Its about profits at all costs. I'm amazed that we have no collaboration between nations to eliminate trawling fishing. The lack of collaboration between nations and the 'everyman for himself mentality' is destroying our oceans and environment. I can't see that changing under the current economic systems. 1000 years from now, people will be amazed at our stupidity in destroying the oceans to wring every last dollar out of it and the expense of future generations.

    1. anna miller

      Given the law of probabilities, do you think 1000 years from now there will still be any people?

  15. OΔΔ

    Great documentary

  16. bringmeredwine

    I made it to the 40 minute mark, where the cruelties segment commenced. I just can't deal with it.
    Scenes shot underwater in Bonaire were delightful. Watching a stingray being killed by a bottom trawler; not so much.
    Flies in the vaseline we are, but do not think all our scientists and ocean biologists are being ignored.
    I did some research and things are slowly getting done about the sustainability situation in our oceans.
    The NMFS successfully defended, in court, setting limits on prey species, Atka mackerel and Pacific Cod in Alaska, despite the protestations of the Seattle based fishing industries and the Alaskan government.
    Another example is the US North Pacific Fishery Management Council has ensured that bottom trawler fisheries can only catch 7,500 Chinook salmon each season.
    Salmon is to be delivered, including all the bycatch, directly to a processing plant where it will be recorded and examined by a scientific observer.
    These are only 2 examples of many.
    So take heart, there's still some hope for us as human beings. Whether we win a manageable sustainability is still anyone's guess.

    1. 1concept1

      I know this is a good while since you post for me to reply but oh well - Fish come back quick - the Stripped Bass (rock fish) in the Chesapeak Bay were in danger of being fished out so local govt. stopped the fishing for i don't know how long but it wasn't that long in any case when one figures how many eggs these fish produce - it shouldn't take long -

    2. bringmeredwine

      It's good to know that groups like Oceana exist and fight for new legislation all around the globe.
      It's not just the oceans that are suffering. Must be thousands of lakes and rivers with all kinds of issues, too!
      Every little thing we people can do to help, can make a difference.

    3. bringmeredwine

      Hi, it's been a long time!
      My city borders on a beautiful sandy lake.
      We used to be the go- to place for Americans to come and catch pickerels (walleyes).
      Sadly it's been fished-out, despite stringent regulations. Our Ministry of Natural Resources apparently lacks the funds to restock.
      People have been using nets illegally and then abandoning them. They're killing everything. It's really sad.

  17. Aaron Deville

    That was very good.

  18. terencegalland

    Reminds me of "sales patter when its gone its gone" absolutely crazy the workers under one agenda to catch fish the employers under another agenda to satisfy the banks and directors of factorys, and the government shells under another agenda to proclaim what a wonderful industry we have created (vote for us) and none of them combined have got a clue what they are doing, i am afraid we are still in the stone age. pray for the fish!

  19. FERENC CSICSERI

    The Human Ignorance is the most hurtful issue decades from now ,how we treat nature and let ourselves fall into oblivion is going to bring a very harsh reality.We already paying the prize what our fathers did in many ways,and unfortunately the answer is the same we using resources since the dawn our time and if we going to worry how the fish feel about it we will starve.Sad really because we think we have the right to take everything what Nature can offer to us but we never think about it what we should be given back and that would lead to our distraction.We killing our World and it looks like we trying to prove something how Intelligent and powerful we are but the only thing is been proven so far is how s*upid careless and ignorant we are called :The Age of S*upid: too bad for Nature we won't stop until nothing but nothing will stand because we still thinks some higher been will save the situation but even that concept is been twisted to our translation :We play God but we really don't do a god job:How we going to save Nature if we can't even save ourselves the only way is to disappear of the face of the world and some more suitable species will take over because we really screwed up

    1. Roxy Williams

      Ferenc, Ditto!

    2. jaberwokky

      Any chance you could redo that comment with proper punctuation and grammar? I'd love to read it.