David Attenborough has released a new documentary about the ocean for his 99th birthday. The film focuses on the serious issue of industrial overfishing. Large trawlers drag massive nets along the seabed, destroying marine life and ecosystems. Many fish are wasted, which harms nature, livelihoods and the economy of poorer countries. Attenborough calls this behavior a modern form of colonialism.
The documentary is released just before World Oceans Day, which aims to protect 30% of oceans. Currently, only 3% are protected. Attenborough reflects on how humans once saw the sea only as a source of food, but now understand it as a rich and delicate ecosystem.
He shows how overfishing turns vibrant ocean habitats into dead zones. However, the film also presents hope. In No Take zones where fishing is banned, life recovers quickly. Fish populations grow and can spread to surrounding waters. But Attenborough warns that the ocean might not always bounce back.
He ends the film by urging immediate action. According to him, the future of the ocean depends on the decisions we make today. With his calm, powerful voice, he calls on everyone to take responsibility before it’s too late.
Vocabulary:
• Documentary (noun): a factual film or TV program based on real events or topics.
• Trawler (noun): a large fishing boat that drags a wide net behind it.
• Ecosystem (noun): a biological environment made up of animals, plants, and their interactions.
• Livelihood (noun): the way a person earns money to live.
• Colonialism (noun): the control or exploitation of one group by another, often for resources.
• Vulnerable (adj): at risk of being harmed or damaged.
• No take zone (noun): an area of the ocean where all fishing is banned to protect marine life.
• Bounce back (phrasal verb): to recover from difficulty or damage.
Source: The Guardian