David Attenborough Explores Marine Secrets, Warns In World Oceans Day Documentary
Mumbai: Biologist, natural historian and writer David Attenborough is taking a deep dive into our oceans. He is set to take the audience in the realm of the marine world with his upcoming documentary film 'Ocean by David Attenborough' on National Geographic.
The film is set to release on the occasion of World Oceans Day. The powerful documentary talks about the importance of the world's oceans and the story of how we can, and must, restore the glory of Earth's vast, interconnected waters. The film draws upon extensive marine science and was supported by a team of scientific advisors, including National Geographic Pristine Seas Founder, Enric Sala.
The film features footage of bottom trawling, the act of dragging weighted fishing nets along the ocean floor, and its devastating effects on the ocean. Only by revealing this footage to the world and exposing what's happening beneath the surface can people begin to understand the devastating impact it is having and the urgent risk it poses to our ocean.
Talking about the film, Attenborough said, "My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man. In this film, we share those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can bounce back to life."
Tom McDonald, National Geographic's executive vice president of Global Factual and Unscripted Content, said, "I'm thrilled that audiences worldwide will be able to engage with Sir David's signature storytelling and the inspirational message of this film through the power of National Geographic's global platforms. There is no one better to deliver this landmark film than Sir David, and I'm delighted that he's working with National Geographic for the very first time on a subject that is timely and close to his heart."
The documentary focuses on the human actions leading to the oceans' collapse and the effects of destructive fishing techniques, such as dredging and bottom trawling, on entire marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and the global climate. Alok Jain, President - Entertainment, JioStar added: "At National Geographic India, we believe that storytelling has the power to ignite change.
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is a landmark film that reminds us how interconnected we are with our oceans, even here in India, where over 11,000 kilometers of coastline support vibrant marine life and millions of livelihoods. Through David Attenborough's unmatched narration and breathtaking visuals, we hope to inspire Indians to see our oceans not just as distant waters but as living systems that need our urgent protection.
This is not just a global story - it is our story too." The film is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield and produced by Nowlan for Silverback Films. The film is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production. 'Ocean by David Attenborough' is set to release on June 8 on National Geographic and JioHotstar.
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
David Attenborough's 'Ocean' is a brutal, beautiful wakeup call from sea
Last Updated: Nice (France), Jun 7 (AP) An ominous chain unspools through the water. Then comes chaos. A churning cloud of mud erupts as a net plows the seafloor, wrenching rays, fish and a squid from their home in a violent swirl of destruction. This is industrial bottom trawling. It's not CGI. It's real. And it's legal. 'Ocean With David Attenborough" is a brutal reminder of how little we see and how much is at stake. The film is both a sweeping celebration of marine life and a stark exposé of the forces pushing the ocean toward collapse. The British naturalist and broadcaster, now 99, anchors the film with a deeply personal reflection: 'After living for nearly a hundred years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea." The film traces Attenborough's lifetime — an era of unprecedented ocean discovery — through the lush beauty of coral reefs, kelp forests and deep-sea wanderers, captured in breathtaking, revelatory ways. But this is not the Attenborough film we grew up with. As the environment unravels, so too has the tone of his storytelling. 'Ocean" is more urgent, more unflinching. Never-before-seen footage of mass coral bleaching, dwindling fish stocks and industrial-scale exploitation reveals just how vulnerable the sea has become. The film's power lies not only in what it shows, but in how rarely such destruction is witnessed. 'I think we've got to the point where we've changed so much of the natural world that it's almost remiss if you don't show it," co-director Colin Butfield said. 'Nobody's ever professionally filmed bottom trawling before. And yet it's happening practically everywhere." The practice is not only legal, he adds, but often subsidized. 'For too long, everything in the ocean has been invisible," Butfield said. 'Most people picture fishing as small boats heading out from a local harbour. They're not picturing factories at sea scraping the seabed." In one harrowing scene, mounds of unwanted catch are dumped back into the sea already dead. About 10 million tons (9 million metrics tonnes) of marine life are caught and discarded each year as bycatch. In some bottom trawl fisheries, discards make up more than half the haul. Still, 'Ocean" is no eulogy. Its final act offers a stirring glimpse of what recovery can look like: kelp forests rebounding under protection, vast marine reserves teeming with life and the world's largest albatross colony thriving in Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These aren't fantasies; they're evidence of what the ocean can become again, if given the chance. Timed to World Oceans Day and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, the film arrives amid a growing global push to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 — a goal endorsed by more than 190 countries. But today, just 2.7 per cent of the ocean is effectively protected from harmful industrial activity. The film's message is clear: The laws of today are failing the seas. So-called 'protected" areas often aren't. And banning destructive practices like bottom trawling is not just feasible — it's imperative. As always, Attenborough is a voice of moral clarity. 'This could be the moment of change," he says. 'Ocean" gives us the reason to believe — and the evidence to demand — that it must be. 'Ocean" premieres Saturday on National Geographic in the U.S. and streams globally on Disney+ and Hulu beginning Sunday. (AP) RD RD First Published: June 07, 2025, 12:15 IST
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2 hours ago
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'What we've tried to do here is show realistic hope,' Colin chimes in. 'The images we've shown of ocean destruction are the most powerful that have ever been shown. So that's certainly showing where this is going wrong, or where this could go wrong. As Keith rightly says, if you don't balance that with hope, (and in the ocean, the hope is genuine), then you leave the audience powerless.' When you watch Ocean With David Attenborough, Colin says, 'You think, 'I don't like what's happening right now. That's horrific, but not only can I see a way out but one that can be enacted quickly.' That's far more motivating than just leaving people with the problem and hoping they find a way through it.' Technological advancements have been a huge help in shooting Nature, Keith says. 'We use drones a lot. Earlier, if you wanted to film aerial, you had to have a helicopter, for which you need a big ship, which costs a huge amount of money. Now we could be out in the middle of the ocean, and pick up a little, cheap drone and get amazing images.' Earlier, for underwater filming, Keith says scuba tanks were used. 'They gave you an hour underwater. Now we use rebreathers, which circulates the air and you can have four, five or six hours underwater. So cinematographers can go down and film underwater like you do on land. There are loads of these changes that absolutely revolutionise what we can do.' Ocean With David Attenborough premieres on National Geographic on June 8, at 7pm, and will also be available to stream on JioHotstar the same day
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
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David Attenborough's 'Ocean' is a brutal, beautiful wakeup call from the sea
NICE, France — An ominous chain unspools through the water. Then comes chaos. A churning cloud of mud erupts as a net plows the seafloor, wrenching rays, fish and a squid from their home in a violent swirl of destruction. This is industrial bottom trawling. It's not CGI. It's real. And it's legal. 'Ocean With David Attenborough' is a brutal reminder of how little we see and how much is at stake. The film is both a sweeping celebration of marine life and a stark exposé of the forces pushing the ocean toward collapse. The British naturalist and broadcaster, now 99, anchors the film with a deeply personal reflection: 'After living for nearly a hundred years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.' The film traces Attenborough's lifetime — an era of unprecedented ocean discovery — through the lush beauty of coral reefs, kelp forests and deep-sea wanderers, captured in breathtaking, revelatory ways. But this is not the Attenborough film we grew up with. As the environment unravels, so too has the tone of his storytelling. 'Ocean' is more urgent, more unflinching. Never-before-seen footage of mass coral bleaching, dwindling fish stocks and industrial-scale exploitation reveals just how vulnerable the sea has become. The film's power lies not only in what it shows, but in how rarely such destruction is witnessed. 'I think we've got to the point where we've changed so much of the natural world that it's almost remiss if you don't show it,' co-director Colin Butfield said. 'Nobody's ever professionally filmed bottom trawling before. And yet it's happening practically everywhere.' The practice is not only legal, he adds, but often subsidized. 'For too long, everything in the ocean has been invisible,' Butfield said. 'Most people picture fishing as small boats heading out from a local harbor. They're not picturing factories at sea scraping the seabed.' In one harrowing scene, mounds of unwanted catch are dumped back into the sea already dead. About 10 million tons of marine life are caught and discarded each year as bycatch. In some bottom trawl fisheries, discards make up more than half the haul. Still, 'Ocean' is no eulogy. Its final act offers a stirring glimpse of what recovery can look like: kelp forests rebounding under protection, vast marine reserves teeming with life and the world's largest albatross colony thriving in Hawaii's Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. These aren't fantasies; they're evidence of what the ocean can become again, if given the chance. Timed to World Oceans Day and the U.N. Ocean Conference in Nice, the film arrives amid a growing global push to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 — a goal endorsed by more than 190 countries. But today, just 2.7% of the ocean is effectively protected from harmful industrial activity. The film's message is clear: The laws of today are failing the seas. So-called 'protected' areas often aren't. And banning destructive practices like bottom trawling is not just feasible — it's imperative. As always, Attenborough is a voice of moral clarity. 'This could be the moment of change,' he says. 'Ocean' gives us the reason to believe — and the evidence to demand — that it must be. 'Ocean' premieres Saturday on National Geographic in the U.S. and streams globally on Disney and Hulu beginning Sunday. Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram. The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The is solely responsible for all content. For all of 's environmental coverage, visit /hub/climate-and-environment
