10 Best Documentaries About The Ocean Like Seaspiracy

The impact of humans on Mother Nature has been a topic of hot debate since the dawn of the 21st century. With many tangible repercussions coming to light, including global warming, damage to global biodiversity, water scarcity, and extreme meteorological occurrences, it has become imperative that these avenues are addressed diligently, lest humans wish to find themselves without a home.

One such area of concern is the oceans of the world. Most ocean protection and restoration agencies around the world focus on the impact of plastic and its effects on the marine ecosystem. However, it is for eye-opening and brave documentaries like Ali Tabrizi’s Seaspiracy that people around the world get a chance to realize other issues that affect the oceans, like over-fishing, that also require immediate attention. While Seaspiracy is a commendable documentary in its own right, it is not the only one that documents the plight of the oceans. Many filmmakers have, over the years, created powerful documentaries that inspire people to act and take a stance towards protecting the very source of life on this planet, the oceans.

10 The Last Ocean

The Ross Sea in Antarctica is the last remaining ocean that humans have not encroached upon. It hosts a fascinating marine ecosystem that is both enlightening and worth protecting. The Last Ocean, directed by Peter Young, depicts the risks that commercial fishing poses to this last remaining sanctuary for marine life, all to satisfy the human demand of the Antarctic Toothfish.

The documentary poignantly points out how important this marine haven is for humanity and how destroying it will severely impact humans, as well. It also raises the question of sustainable fishing’s viability and whether it is a realistic option if human demands for fish are to be adequately met. The above picture has been taken by the eminent photographer, John Weller.

9 David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef

David Attenborough’s The Great Barrier Reef aired on the Smithsonian channel in three parts from 2015. Exploring the magnificent Great Barrier Reef and its remotest corners, using state-of-the-art submersibles, this documentary provides an invigorating and new look at the largest living body on Mother Earth.

Narrated in the regal yet gentle voice of David Attenborough, this documentary was directed by Anne Sommerfield and Michael Davis. Probing around almost 900 islands and as many as 2,900 reefs, the documentary captures the true essence of this majestic coral reef and its importance from a cultural and historical standpoint.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Mission Blue

It is for brave and dedicated activists like Dr. Sylvia Earle that the world gets to witness riveting animal welfare documentaries like Mission Blue. Celebrating the life and work of the marine biologist and oceanographer, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue takes viewers on a miraculous journey across the many water bodies around the world where Dr. Earle has worked.

This documentary is inspirational in its own right. Showcasing how Dr. Earle has worked intimately with the oceans for the entirety of her life, it highlights her activities and efforts to save the oceans from the ever-persistent dangers of plastic pollution, climate change, and overfishing.

7 Blackfish

Animals in captivity have always been a sensitive topic and Blackfish contributes to the topic by jolting people out of their comfort zones and prompting them to start to take notice. Depicting the sad story of Tilikum, the orca whale known for having killed as many as three humans, Blackfish portrays the dark reality of marine parks like SeaWorld.

Explicitly pointing out the problems of keeping whales in captivity, Blackfish forces viewers to rethink their decision of visiting such marine parks in the future. The documentary also highlights how little humans know about these fascinating creatures, who suffer from human cruelty, feelings of isolation, and confinement, in these unnatural habitats created simply to satisfy human beings’ need for entertainment.

6 The End Of The Line

Seaspiracy made it clear how overfishing is a pertinent and ghastly enemy that threatens marine ecosystems, and if left unchecked, how it can and will destroy every life on this planet. The End of The Line, on the other hand, chooses to focus on what unregulated and unethical overfishing has already caused, rather than what it might cause.

Nominated for the British Independent Film Award for Best Documentary, The End of The Line is based on Charles Clover’s eponymous book. Directed by Rupert Murray, this critically acclaimed documentary showcases how the cod population has collapsed, resulting in the loss of as many as 40,000 jobs, and how the rampant fishing of bluefin tuna might soon lead to its extinction, amongst other things that overfishing has caused.

5 The Cove

Seaspiracy sparsely explored the practice of dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan. The Cove is a more elaborate look at the issue, revealing how these beautiful cetaceans are hunted and killed every year to support the dolphin hunt, prevalent in these parts of the world.

The Cove won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, as well as the U.S. Audience Award at 2009’s Sundance Film Festival. Exposing the tradition that claims the lives of as many as 23,000 porpoises and dolphins on a yearly basis, this staggering number is even larger than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic by various whaling industries.

4 Chasing Coral

The coral reefs around the world are dying at a rate unprecedented or encountered before in the planet’s history. Jeff Orlowski’s Chasing Coral attempts to unearth this mystery by documenting a group of marine researchers, scientists, photographers, and divers, as they explore the various coral reefs around the world and try to ascertain the forces that are resulting in their destruction.

The documentary also reveals the magical world of underwater life, never seen before by the human population, vividly emphasizing why these naturally occurring living bodies need to be protected and restored.

3 A Plastic Ocean

A fascinating documentary, A Plastic Ocean is a stark reminder of how human pollution and waste are affecting the lives of other species in the world. It shows how harmful the use of non-biodegradable materials like plastic actually is, and the scope of damage it has already caused to marine life on the planet.

Directed by Craig Leeson, A Plastic Ocean forces viewers to take note and action unless they want to see every living organism that inhabits the seas and oceans of the world gone for good.

2 Watson

A person who has dedicated his life and freedom to the conservation of the ocean and the life it holds, Watson is an inspiring depiction of the wonderful and praiseworthy life of Sea Shepherd founder and Greenpeace co-founder, Paul Watson.

Directed by Lesley Chilcott, Watson features actual footage of the many adventurous and brave encounters that Sea Shepherd has embarked upon over the years, and further documents some insightful interviews with Paul Watson himself. The documentary also features some extraordinary footage of underwater life and nature, thereby being an ocean-centric documentary that’s worth every bit of applause it receives.

1 The Blue Planet & Blue Planet II

Sir David Attenborough is mostly known for his incredible documentary A Life On Our Planet. However, the eminent natural historian has made many brilliant nature documentaries over his illustrious lifetime, and The Blue Planet and Blue Planet II are arguably some of his best documentaries depicting the oceans on Planet Earth.

Filmed across as many as 200 locations, The Blue Planet took almost five years to make and showcased the oceans in an enthralling light. Trying to repeat the magic of the original, Blue Planet II released in 2017, taking viewers on a wonderful journey across the remotest aquatic locations of the world. Apart from Attenborough’s soothing narration, the riveting OST of Hanz Zimmer elevates Blue Planet II’s appeal to another level.

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