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Future Sea: How to Rescue and Protect the World’s Oceans
The world’s oceans face multiple threats: the effects of climate change, pollution, overfishing, plastic waste, and more. Confronted with the immensity of these challenges and of the oceans themselves, we might wonder what more can be done to stop their decline and better protect the sea and marine life. Such widespread environmental threats call for a simple but significant shift in reasoning to bring about long-overdue, elemental change in the way we use ocean resources. In Future Sea, ocean advocate and marine-policy researcher Deborah Rowan Wright provides the tools for that shift. Questioning the underlying philosophy of established ocean conservation approaches, Rowan Wright lays out a radical alternative: a bold and far-reaching strategy of 100 percent ocean protection that would put an end to destructive industrial activities, better safeguard marine biodiversity, and enable ocean wildlife to return and thrive along coasts and in seas around the globe.
Future Sea is essentially concerned with the solutions and not the problems. Rowan Wright shines a light on existing international laws intended to keep marine environments safe that could underpin this new strategy. She gathers inspiring stories of communities and countries using ocean resources wisely, as well as of successful conservation projects, to build up a cautiously optimistic picture of the future for our oceans—counteracting all-too-prevalent reports of doom and gloom. A passionate, sweeping, and personal account, Future Sea not only argues for systemic change in how we manage what we do in the sea, but also describes steps that anyone, from children to political leaders (or indeed, any reader of the book), can take toward safeguarding the oceans and their extraordinary wildlife.
Future Sea is essentially concerned with the solutions and not the problems. Rowan Wright shines a light on existing international laws intended to keep marine environments safe that could underpin this new strategy. She gathers inspiring stories of communities and countries using ocean resources wisely, as well as of successful conservation projects, to build up a cautiously optimistic picture of the future for our oceans—counteracting all-too-prevalent reports of doom and gloom. A passionate, sweeping, and personal account, Future Sea not only argues for systemic change in how we manage what we do in the sea, but also describes steps that anyone, from children to political leaders (or indeed, any reader of the book), can take toward safeguarding the oceans and their extraordinary wildlife.
200 pages, Hardcover
Published October 27, 2020
23 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 30, 2022
An incredibly enlightening and captivating piece of non-fiction to open your eyes.
I loved every second in this book, which feels like a huge achievement for non-fiction for someone who is predominantly a fiction reader. I've been wanting to read more about climate change from the experts themselves and this is book one in the progress of that journey.
I picked up Future Sea after poring over the University of Chicago Press's catalogue of environmental science books and making a list, then going to the bookstore and picking up the titles that they had in stock. This being one of them.
I've never explored this topic in more depth than the odd article or David Attenborough documentary, so I took away so much from this and feel like I expanded some areas of my knowledge. I didn't find it hard to read, it was quite easy and filled with just enough personal stories from the author written in a more narrative-style to keep the pacing of the book balanced.
Things I learnt from this:
- We need to protect the whole ocean to make a difference, not just small areas.
- Some types of sunscreen are causing a toxic environment for coral when it runs off our skin into the ocean, causing bleaching.
- The true extent of the toxicity of salmon farming (over population within nets, increased disease spreading, high volume of intense antibiotics, intentional dyeing of salmon flesh with canthaxanthin).
- What ghost fishing is (damage done by discarded fishing nets etc, killing multitudes of sea animals).
- The great example New Zealand leads in protecting seas and the positive bounce-back of sea life from this action (look up Goat Island Reserve).
- The importance of equal status for women as more opportunities for women naturally slows down human population growth as they can choose not to have more children than they want.
- That 88% of people who watched David Attenborough's Blue Planet II episode about the effect of discarded plastic adjusted to single-use plastics.
Actions I took from this:
I have started a regular donation to the Olive Ridley Project (http://oliveridleyproject.org/)
This book thoroughly inspired me (and I'm not saying you ~have~ to start donating too, I just wanted to show how much it touched me) and it's really encouraged me to pick up more books like this and to continue learning.
I loved every second in this book, which feels like a huge achievement for non-fiction for someone who is predominantly a fiction reader. I've been wanting to read more about climate change from the experts themselves and this is book one in the progress of that journey.
I picked up Future Sea after poring over the University of Chicago Press's catalogue of environmental science books and making a list, then going to the bookstore and picking up the titles that they had in stock. This being one of them.
I've never explored this topic in more depth than the odd article or David Attenborough documentary, so I took away so much from this and feel like I expanded some areas of my knowledge. I didn't find it hard to read, it was quite easy and filled with just enough personal stories from the author written in a more narrative-style to keep the pacing of the book balanced.
Things I learnt from this:
- We need to protect the whole ocean to make a difference, not just small areas.
- Some types of sunscreen are causing a toxic environment for coral when it runs off our skin into the ocean, causing bleaching.
- The true extent of the toxicity of salmon farming (over population within nets, increased disease spreading, high volume of intense antibiotics, intentional dyeing of salmon flesh with canthaxanthin).
- What ghost fishing is (damage done by discarded fishing nets etc, killing multitudes of sea animals).
- The great example New Zealand leads in protecting seas and the positive bounce-back of sea life from this action (look up Goat Island Reserve).
- The importance of equal status for women as more opportunities for women naturally slows down human population growth as they can choose not to have more children than they want.
- That 88% of people who watched David Attenborough's Blue Planet II episode about the effect of discarded plastic adjusted to single-use plastics.
Actions I took from this:
I have started a regular donation to the Olive Ridley Project (http://oliveridleyproject.org/)
This book thoroughly inspired me (and I'm not saying you ~have~ to start donating too, I just wanted to show how much it touched me) and it's really encouraged me to pick up more books like this and to continue learning.
November 24, 2020
Very worth reading! This book highlighted the laws that exist surrounding the Sea and how poorly they are enforced and its main premise is that we need to go from exploiting the sea with some areas that are protected to protecting the sea with only a few areas that are exploited. Highly interesting discussion about efforts to make the ecocide illegal - felt like a very fresh presentation of the importance of “dry” law. Very readable in how it deals with these laws and explains their potential impact on biodiversity. The last two chapters felt a little like fluff but that is coming from someone (me) who is a biology graduate and reads many books in this field, so it seemed obvious/fluff, I think these chapters were fine to round out the book for readers who may be new to the subject matter.
January 10, 2021
Laura Wow! A a clear and fresh call to action. Her argument is so simple once she says it; it exposes the utter madness of the status quo, and how we have been blind to the obvious solution - all presented in an easy and passionate read. It is the Silent Spring for the oceans.
January 8, 2021
A stimulating and thought provoking read that gives us a radical blueprint to address the damage being done to the oceans. The book is full of detailed information but is still very readable and offers a raft of actions that we can both take ourselves and lobby our politicians to implement.
January 6, 2021
I loved this book, I learnt so much. It's made me think very differently about the sea and what we could all be doing to protect it.
January 20, 2021
Sure to raise eyebrows, Future Sea is a galvanizing book that makes a convincing case to protect all of the oceans. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2021...
January 12, 2021
I really enjoyed Future Sea and recommend reading it. Firstly, I really appreciated that this book has a fresh and optimistic outlook on a rather depressing subject. D. R Wright puts forward a compelling framework to protect the worlds seas! You won't find too-much-detail explanations on legislation, but the author does describe some of the key laws, which I found to be very engaging, too! D . R Wright mixes in beautifully written descriptions with hard facts in this book and, for this reason, and many others, it is unlike any other book I have read. I recommend it to scientists, experts in the field, fishermen, and even people who do not initially have a particular interest in the oceans. I recommend it because it will grip you and you will find yourself caring for them as much as the author herself! I hope people will meet her radical idea with optimism rather than scepticism. We've all heard enough of the latter. Time for some forward thinking! Here's to the oceans, and to D Rowan Wright for her dedication and inspiration!
December 29, 2020
Important subject matter, bold idea, but mediocre execution. The book was at its best when discussing specific examples of beneficial effects of seas protecting policies and the specific consequences of failing to protect ocean resources. Those passages were often compelling. Unfortunately they were relatively few and far between, with much of the book written in broad strokes assuming that the reader had already accepted the author's thesis - that our default approach to the seas should be protection with exceptions for use rather than the current state of default use except for protected areas - and laying out how the international legal framework to get us to that point mostly exists already. While I think the proposed action holds great merit, I was already sympathetic to the idea. I don't expect this book to change many minds that are skeptical to the idea when they crack the cover.
March 9, 2021
Plot:
How hard would it be to protect the entire ocean? I mean it technically does not belong to one country, despite many having coasts, so how hard would it be to have an international agreement to leave it alone? A threat to climate change, something people depend on for survival and a source of income, something that can take hundreds of lives with their storms, the ocean is a vast dangerous place that is currently under threat because of human use of it. From Deborah Wright’s British Columbia (Canada) orca watching trip to the night she was awoken with her plan to protect the entire ocean, Wright takes readers on this oceanic journey as they explain laws, actions, current conditions, and what needs to be done to make their thesis a reality.
Thoughts:
Deborah Rowan Wright's passion for the ocean is shown through this novel as they artistically took you around the world and made you believe in their universal ocean protected plan. This book is taken from the point of view of accepting Wright’s thesis, as they only write to those who already see the ocean as a vast ecosystem that needs protection. Thus, little time throughout this novel is spent convincing you of their theory, as they write in broad strokes with specific consequences of what happens if the ocean is not protected. As an ocean lover, this novel is fantastic at explaining UNCLOS III, the climate change effects on the ocean as the deadly trio, the issues with marine protected areas (MPA), and more. The biggest mind-opening aspect Wright brought me to is why fishing quota is hard to judge as we are trying to count something we cannot see. Ingenious! It makes perfect sense, but until seeing Wright put it in writing I never thought of it that way. Where Wright focuses on solutions to how to make their thesis a reality, they use easy writing that young adults and up can understand, especially if they are environmentally savvy. If you want to get into understanding ocean management - this is the book for you! If you want to know what your government can be doing to help the ocean - this is the book for you! If you just love the ocean, you guessed it - this is the book for you! To all my nature lovers, ocean swimmers, and people who want to see the world not go up in flames, Wright novel is about their thesis on protecting the entire ocean, consequences for lack of action, solutions for action, and information about the sea itself, the ocean's past and hopefully its future.
How hard would it be to protect the entire ocean? I mean it technically does not belong to one country, despite many having coasts, so how hard would it be to have an international agreement to leave it alone? A threat to climate change, something people depend on for survival and a source of income, something that can take hundreds of lives with their storms, the ocean is a vast dangerous place that is currently under threat because of human use of it. From Deborah Wright’s British Columbia (Canada) orca watching trip to the night she was awoken with her plan to protect the entire ocean, Wright takes readers on this oceanic journey as they explain laws, actions, current conditions, and what needs to be done to make their thesis a reality.
Thoughts:
Deborah Rowan Wright's passion for the ocean is shown through this novel as they artistically took you around the world and made you believe in their universal ocean protected plan. This book is taken from the point of view of accepting Wright’s thesis, as they only write to those who already see the ocean as a vast ecosystem that needs protection. Thus, little time throughout this novel is spent convincing you of their theory, as they write in broad strokes with specific consequences of what happens if the ocean is not protected. As an ocean lover, this novel is fantastic at explaining UNCLOS III, the climate change effects on the ocean as the deadly trio, the issues with marine protected areas (MPA), and more. The biggest mind-opening aspect Wright brought me to is why fishing quota is hard to judge as we are trying to count something we cannot see. Ingenious! It makes perfect sense, but until seeing Wright put it in writing I never thought of it that way. Where Wright focuses on solutions to how to make their thesis a reality, they use easy writing that young adults and up can understand, especially if they are environmentally savvy. If you want to get into understanding ocean management - this is the book for you! If you want to know what your government can be doing to help the ocean - this is the book for you! If you just love the ocean, you guessed it - this is the book for you! To all my nature lovers, ocean swimmers, and people who want to see the world not go up in flames, Wright novel is about their thesis on protecting the entire ocean, consequences for lack of action, solutions for action, and information about the sea itself, the ocean's past and hopefully its future.
February 21, 2021
A really interesting and compelling read. Deborah approaches the subject of protecting the world’s oceans with a deep passion and in depth knowledge, which comes across throughout the book. She has written the book and subject matter in a way that is accessible, really engaging and a joy to read. She manages to intersperse information about the Law of the Sea, which could be quite a dry topic, with some fascinating facts and show us how this law should and could be enforced to give 100% protection. She provides us with some wonderfully positive examples of communities who have come together and taken action to protect areas of the ocean around them; these examples show us how this can be done with thought and respect for the Law of the Sea through managing to strike a healthy balance of maintaining their livelihoods as well as helping the sea to thrive and replenish. The book provokes thought and has many helpful tips about what we can do to take action ourselves to protect our valuable and beautiful oceans along with the fascinating wildlife within them.
February 22, 2021
This is the story of an idea – a big idea. The author leads us through the process of turning that into a plan of action on how to protect the sea and marine wildlife. Somewhat prophetically, since this was probably written before the present pandemic, she also highlights the deeper problem of society undervaluing and disrespecting the natural world. After hearing endless bad news about what’s happening to the oceans it’s good to find out what we can actually do about it – all of us – and it’s heartening to read about successful conservation stories from around the world. There are pockets of weighty information to digest, probably essential to support her argument, but they’re clear and fairly concise and counterbalanced by the personal take on things, with some great descriptive passages. It seems she’s writing for two types of reader; the general non-specialist reader and the more serious or professional conservationist, so that’s tricky. Overall, it’s a fascinating and motivating read.
May 9, 2021
Most people only experience the sea when staring out from a shore, so the oceans are out of sight and out of mind. The author of Future Sea reveals the way in which governments and corporations are plundering this finite resource with impunity (just five countries account for 85% of all high seas fishing), their practices unseen and unregulated.
Impeccable research, intelligence and wit make this book a chastening and entertaining clarion call. Deborah Rowan Wright’s descriptive writing equals that of Helen Macdonald and Robert Macfarlane - other writers who help us to appreciate our affinity with the natural world.
An effective and fair way to manage seas in a genuinely sustainable way is achievable and this book shows us the way. Emerging satellite and AI technologies are already able to monitor global ship movements. We must surveil from space, not the shore. If we don’t, what will we tell our grandchildren? We drank the pool?
Impeccable research, intelligence and wit make this book a chastening and entertaining clarion call. Deborah Rowan Wright’s descriptive writing equals that of Helen Macdonald and Robert Macfarlane - other writers who help us to appreciate our affinity with the natural world.
An effective and fair way to manage seas in a genuinely sustainable way is achievable and this book shows us the way. Emerging satellite and AI technologies are already able to monitor global ship movements. We must surveil from space, not the shore. If we don’t, what will we tell our grandchildren? We drank the pool?
January 21, 2021
A huge topic covered in a concise and engaging way. I have read lots of stuff about overfishing, the damage caused by shipping, mining, rubbish dumping, and plastic pollution, and ocean warming but this book ties it all together. And it highlights how important the oceans are to Earth as a whole. It sets out the current state of the oceans and explains how they might be protected and restored to good health. Unlike much writing about the environment, this book offers hope both in describing existing measures that need to be enforced and extended at international/state level and by giving examples of local communities taking action. Along with some beautiful descriptions of sea life it shows how human action can be positive as well as destructive. By the last chapters I was desperate to know what I could do to help, and Rowan Wright gives many suggestions - for which I am grateful.
November 11, 2021
Wright’s love of the sea and her passion for protecting it is inspiring. I expected a book full of gloom and dry research. In fact it is packed with positivity and hope.
While covering such heavy subjects as international treaties, destructive commercial fishing, and all the human activity that have brought marine ecosystems to crisis point, it is peppered with examples of successful outcomes from the largest reserves to tiny grass roots campaigns with tremendous results. Lightened by the writer’s personal anecdotes and dry wit, this a serious but highly readable book.
Our vast oceans, covering most of the Earth’s surface and long taken for granted, are essential to our very existence. In fact, they are the Earth’s largest carbon capture and oxygen generating system. I understand this now.
Am I inspired to take action? Hell yes!
While covering such heavy subjects as international treaties, destructive commercial fishing, and all the human activity that have brought marine ecosystems to crisis point, it is peppered with examples of successful outcomes from the largest reserves to tiny grass roots campaigns with tremendous results. Lightened by the writer’s personal anecdotes and dry wit, this a serious but highly readable book.
Our vast oceans, covering most of the Earth’s surface and long taken for granted, are essential to our very existence. In fact, they are the Earth’s largest carbon capture and oxygen generating system. I understand this now.
Am I inspired to take action? Hell yes!
June 17, 2023
This is a bold treaty and radical vision. The vision presented is the needed one to save the oceans. I think by her own semi-admission the author understands that by calling for 100% protection she’ll maybe achieve (say) 50% and that’s already excellent. The thesis is well put forward and researched
I gave this five stars because I’m in love with this vision and need no further convincing
However , a book with such a thesis, to be taken seriously, needs figures and economic analysis: what’s the TRUE biomass saving of protecting the ocean ? What’s the TRUE yield of fishing it sustainably? Can we still feed everyone? This books needs more numbers to be fully credible in solving another problem running in tandem with ecosystem damage: feed 7 then 9 billion people
Good book nonetheless , not necessarily stand alone (lacks economics) but as part of the canon
I gave this five stars because I’m in love with this vision and need no further convincing
However , a book with such a thesis, to be taken seriously, needs figures and economic analysis: what’s the TRUE biomass saving of protecting the ocean ? What’s the TRUE yield of fishing it sustainably? Can we still feed everyone? This books needs more numbers to be fully credible in solving another problem running in tandem with ecosystem damage: feed 7 then 9 billion people
Good book nonetheless , not necessarily stand alone (lacks economics) but as part of the canon
February 9, 2021
Everyone needs to read this book! The oceans and the atmosphere are our greatest common resources, yet the oceans have remained mysterious. Beautifully written, Future Sea demystifies them, shows how human beings can use them cleanly and sustainably, and reveals, amazingly, that we have already put in place the legal tools to do this. We cannot stop global biodiversity or reverse climate change unless we cherish Earth’s oceans and the atmosphere. Future Seas describes how in some people in some parts of the ocean are doing this. The rest of us must now do the same. Future Seas is a call to arms. Read it! Buy copies for your MP, your friends, and pass it on!
September 22, 2021
For a book that deals with a pretty depressing subject, ie
how we are destroying the sea, this book is a surprisingly
enjoyable read with many positive examples to suggest that sea life or the life of the sea can still be enormously
improved if we have the will, co-operation and involvement of all parties.
The light touch and humour is brought in partly through many anecdotes from the author's life, and makes for a thoroughly informative and original book that I hope will be widely read. More importantly I hope that it will be a big influencer on policy worldwide.
how we are destroying the sea, this book is a surprisingly
enjoyable read with many positive examples to suggest that sea life or the life of the sea can still be enormously
improved if we have the will, co-operation and involvement of all parties.
The light touch and humour is brought in partly through many anecdotes from the author's life, and makes for a thoroughly informative and original book that I hope will be widely read. More importantly I hope that it will be a big influencer on policy worldwide.
September 20, 2021
This book is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to understand the full picture of threats to our oceans and coasts. This is recommended reading for my team now to help them get up to speed without having to trawl through mountains of dry academic literature. Couldnt recommend highly enough - 5 stars!
September 1, 2021
Rowan Wright's is a personal account of how to address a daunting and seemingly insoluble problem. It's insightful, thorough and positive throughout without being preachy, despite the bleak landscape. It never falls into the trap of being a polemic rant against big government or big business
August 29, 2021
Great book, deceptively simple but properly thought through . Read it, it’s important
Currently Reading
January 20, 2022577.7 W9486 2020
March 4, 2022
For me, environmental books, if not wishy-washy, are (rightly) just too depressing to read. Future Sea is totally uncompromising, totally right and yet magically hopeful. Deborah Rowan Wright is a genius.
November 19, 2021
More of a Pride and Prejudice reader (audiobook) , when my good friend Deb wrote a book about dead and dying fish, I felt reluctantly obligated to read it. What a surprise! Friendship aside, I found this to be a really well written, well researched, informative book. It doesn’t just fill you with doom and gloom about the catastrophic damage we have inflicted on our seas but offers sensible and pragmatic solutions on how we can and must protect all our oceans now. Much of what Deb writes is ‘blindingly obvious’ if only….. The oceans are the earths largest carbon sink system, dirty houses and dirty people are good for the environment, and if women ruled the world there would be a lot less babies in it! Some of it is a bit less obvious and a lot more challenging. This serious book is, above all, a jolly good read.
August 16, 2024
Cogí este libro de la biblioteca de mi centro porque trataba la conservación en alta mar, un tema que me resulta complejo y fascinante a partes iguales (y porque la portada me pareció preciosa, las cosas como son).
Parte de la premisa de que para conservar el océano, lo más práctico es proteger alta mar, exponiendo los problemas legislativos y socioeconómicos en torno a ello (de forma clara incluso para quien sea ajeno el tema), y también pone de ejemplo soluciones que se llevan practicando a nivel local/regional con éxito que se podrían aplicar a mayor escala.
He de decir que hay partes que me resultaban repetitivas y que al ser en inglés a veces me costaba entrar del todo en la lectura, pero aún así ¡me ha encantado! No me importaría comprármelo para volver a leerlo, esta vez subrayando y tomando apuntes.
Si os interesa la conservación del océano, el uso de sus recursos y el tema de alta mar, este es vuestro libro.
Parte de la premisa de que para conservar el océano, lo más práctico es proteger alta mar, exponiendo los problemas legislativos y socioeconómicos en torno a ello (de forma clara incluso para quien sea ajeno el tema), y también pone de ejemplo soluciones que se llevan practicando a nivel local/regional con éxito que se podrían aplicar a mayor escala.
He de decir que hay partes que me resultaban repetitivas y que al ser en inglés a veces me costaba entrar del todo en la lectura, pero aún así ¡me ha encantado! No me importaría comprármelo para volver a leerlo, esta vez subrayando y tomando apuntes.
Si os interesa la conservación del océano, el uso de sus recursos y el tema de alta mar, este es vuestro libro.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews