View image in fullscreen A whale shark swims past a plastic bag in Oslob, the Philippines. But if nobody knows about the importance and wonder of these habitats, no one will join the fight to save them. It frightens me more than anything else apart from climate change. Their loss is one of the main reasons behind our current extinction epidemic. Having grown up by the sea on the Isle of Man, I have been excited by beautiful, diverse, life-giving marine habitats all my life. Horse mussel reefs keep our seas clean and provide nursery areas for the young of whelks and other shellfish. Seagrass meadows store carbon and are a secret weapon in the fight against climate change. Around the British Isles we have some fabulous marine habitats. ![]() There is cause for concern closer to home, too. The makers of the BBC’s Blue Planet Live, which started on Sunday night, understood this when they chose to present Chris Packham’s joyous encounter with whales off the coast of Mexico along with segments about attempts to regrow the Great Barrier Reef, and endangered sharks. This isn’t about downplaying the threat of marine plastics, but about how we can learn from the plastics story and apply these lessons elsewhere.Ĭrucially, all those involved in communicating what is happening to our seas must seek to inspire people as well as alarm them. But, like other environmentalists, I am concerned that other challenges are not getting the attention or resources they need. Having worked in conservation for more than 20 years, I was delighted by the sea-change in attitudes. But it was not until last year’s Blue Planet II series, and the plastics campaign by this and other newspapers, that concerns around marine litter began to be more widely shared. Film producer Jo Ruxton spent years raising funds and doing research for her film A Plastic Ocean, described by David Attenborough as “one of the most important films of all time”. How do environmental issues move from niche interests to global concerns? The explosion of action on marine plastics has been a success story on an unprecedented scale. All are good, but after the beauty of the main features, they seem a bit ordinary, (especially the Dive to Shark Volcano) like something you'd see on the Discovery Channel, although admittedly, with better footage.The life of a conservationist often feels like one long struggle, taking little-known challenges and trying to make them mainstream. Other feature programs include Amazon Abyss, Dive to Shark Volcano, and Being There: Antartica and Being There: Between the Tides. The extras are fun, too, as they take us behind the scenes for each episode and give us some insight into the work - and patience - needed to get this incredible footage. The scenery was complemented by orchestra music accompanied by the sounds of the water and wildlife beautifully. ![]() The narration was distinct and clear by David Attenborough, with his wonderful British accent. ![]() The only way the video could be improved would be to watch this on an HD or BluRay (it's available in both formats). (Don't worry, it's not all water.) The eight episodes (50 minutes each) focus on the life in the water, around it, how they interact, and how they can all be affected by the slightest change. The best way to sum it up: amazing! For those of you familiar with the Planet Earth series, this is in the same vein - and from the same producers - only focusing on the rest of the planet, the part covered by water. And since the holidays aren't too far off now (sad but true), keep this one in mind for that hard to shop for person on your list - or put it on your wish list. This set was re-released a few weeks ago (October 2) in an all new set with more extras, and it's worth a mention.
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