Tune into 'Ocean with David Attenborough' on National Geographic this Saturday, June 7, at 9/8 central time.
In cinemas across select countries outside the U.S., the highly anticipated documentary "Ocean with David Attenborough" is now playing. This groundbreaking film, produced by Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios, has been filmed across various locations worldwide, including the Azores, California, Indonesia, the U.K., Liberia, Antarctica, the Mediterranean, and Hawaii.
Renowned natural historian David Attenborough presents the documentary to highlight the impact of bottom trawling on the world's oceans. The film reveals never-before-seen footage of bottom trawling and its destructive effects on the ocean floor. Trawlers, while hunting for a single species, discard almost everything else, making it a highly wasteful method of catching fish.
The documentary shows that the ocean can recover quickly if action is taken now, with the opportunity for marine life to recover on an unprecedented scale within reach. Bottom trawling, a fishing method that involves dragging weighted nets along the ocean floor, leaves trails of devastation that are visible from space. An area almost the size of the Amazon rainforest is trawled every year, and many places are trawled repeatedly.
The filmmakers, Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, and Colin Butfield, express their excitement about collaborating with David Attenborough on the project. The documentary was directed by the trio and produced by Nowlan for Silverback Films.
The trawling footage from the documentary was filmed in early 2024 in partnership with scientific studies investigating its impact. The footage has been handed over to the scientific community to support global research efforts. The filmmakers have also decided to open-source the footage on Open Planet, enabling free access for educators and NGOs.
Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Pristine Seas founder, emphasizes the timeliness of the film's release. The film will premiere on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7, and be available to stream globally the next day, World Oceans Day, on Disney+ and Hulu.
Executive producers include Louise Pedersen and Rachel Job for All3Media International, Tom McDonald and Janet Han Vissering for National Geographic, Jasper Smith and Rupert Rohan for Arksen Ltd and 10% For The Ocean, Andrew Forrest and Nicola Forrest Minderoo Pictures, Enric Sala for National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Kristin Rechberger for Dynamic Planet and Revive Our Ocean, Rolly van Rappard and Francoise van Rappard for Don Quixote Foundation, and Olivier Wenden for The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
The documentary reveals that ocean protection benefits everyone, particularly the over 3 billion people who depend on fish as a food source. The filmmakers hope that the documentary will inspire viewers to take action and help protect our oceans for future generations.
