Rewilding the Sea

by Charles Clover

'A game-changer!' - Margaret Atwood, Twitter'Desperately needed' - Isabella Tree'I doubt any more important book will published this year' - Stephen Fry In this indispensable follow up to his acclaimed The End of the How Overfishing is Changing the World, Charles Clover chronicles how determined individuals are proving that the crisis in our oceans can be reversed, with benefits for both local communities and entire ecosystems. Rewilding the Sea celebrates what happens when we step aside and let nature repair the whether it is the overfishing of bluefin tuna across the Atlantic, the destruction of coral gardens by dredgers in Lyme Bay or the restoration of oysters on the East Coast of America. The latest scientific research shows that trawling and dredging create more CO2 than the aviation industry and damage vast areas of our continental shelves, stopping them soaking up carbon. We need to fish in different ways, where we fish at all. We can store carbon and have more fish by stepping aside more often and trusting nature.Essential and revelatory, Rewilding the Sea propels us to rethink our relationship with nature and reveals that saving our oceans is easier than we think.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Environment, Science, Conservation, Sustainability, Natural History

261 pages, Hardcover

Published June 9, 2022

About the author

Charles Clover is a journalist and author, with a weekly column about environmental matters in the Sunday Times.
He was Environment Editor of The Daily Telegraph, based in London, from 1988-2008 and conceived the Telegraph Earth website and developed it with a small, talented team of other journalists.
He has been elected national journalist of the year by the British Environment and Media Awards three times, in 1989, 1994 and 1996.
He was co-author with the Prince of Wales of Highgrove: Portrait of an Estate, (1993) a best-selling study of Prince Charles's conversion to organic farming and gardening and a clarion call for sustainable farming.
His book The End of the Line: how over-fishing is changing the world and what we eat (Ebury 2004), has been described as the definitive book on over-fishing.
It won the Guild of Food Writers' Derek Cooper Award for investigative food writing, an Andre Simon award for food writing and the Zoological Society of London's BIOSIS award for communicating zoology. (endoftheline.com)

Reviews

[Josh Merritt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some good chapters but it's inconsistent and incredibly anthrocentric. It's hard not to compare it to Isabella Tree's Wilding which is significantly better written and constructed.

[Tilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars

It has some good moments but unfortunately isn't a great book. Also it isn't really about rewilding which made me a little frustrated as it's the reason I bought it. Quite repetitive too and I found the writing to be a little dull.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously U.K. centric, but still interesting to read, with case studies all over the world. I am personally quite interested in the topic of ocean rewilding and MPAs, but even so I found it very dry in the beginning and therefore picked it up and put it down for over a year. But now I’ve powered through. Chapters 8. Enemies of Progress and Chapters 9. Saving the Forests of the Sea were probably most interesting to me.

I really like how Clover doesn’t isolate fishermen as the enemy, but rather that industrial fishing and particularly trawling are the biggest threat to the oceans. Artisanal fishermen are actually often leading efforts to set aside areas for protection.

Another excellent point rewilding the ocean doesn’t only save marine biodiversity, but actually helps mitigate climate change. The more biodiversity, the more carbon absorbed by large marine animals, which sink to the bottom when they die, so they continue to store carbon post mortem, which terrestrial life does not do. And that’s just animals, not to mention seagrass, kelp, mangroves, and other carbon sink ecosystems.

One estimate that blew my mind, „If whales were allowed to return to their pre-whaling numbers of 4-5 million - up from 1.3 million today (2022)- the International Monetary Fund says they could capture 1.7 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. That is roughly Russias annual emissions“.

Anyway I wouldn’t recommend this to someone who’s not really into the subject, but I would recommend one watch Seaspiracy on Netflix and the newest David Attenborough Oceans documentary.

[Milly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this for my dissertation. This book details the small conservation efforts made to rewild the sea. Small in the sense that the practice is far less understood than the act to rewild the land.
I really enjoy Clover's writing. He focuses largely on the effect overfishing has on the oceans and their health. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of acting now and I felt that it provided me with more hope than a lot of other climate change related books!
I think it is important that the book also focuses on Clover's own achievements in ocean rewilding as it shows he has played an active role in the success stories of rewilding presented.

[Kitty Hatchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Really clear, great stats and examples and so much interesting info about the seas at home and abroad. Big rec !!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the chapters on Skye and the Maldives having visited both and witnessed the over fishing. Overall it was a very thought provoking read although the writing was not concise in parts and lacked direction.

[Jacopossum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially (maybe into the first 2 chapters) I thought this was going to be yet another book about a cool scientific topic the author tediously manage to turn into a self-glorifying autobiography (like Spineless; although the topic in Spineless was too interesting to be significantly affected by that). It took me some chapters to realize how impactful some stories discussed here are (especially the one on British Overseas Territories and Kelp forests). I guess this books leaves you with some hope and if not with hope then with a better understanding of the main threats to our oceans.

[Isabel Liseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but as someone who struggles to stay engaged with non-fiction books this was another one of those.

[Ursula · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to current interest and campaigns on environment, for most people, the oceans are out-of-sight, out-of-mind. And fish will never be able to evoke the emotional response of pandas and orangutans.
But Charles Clover has been ringing the alarm bell on marine environments for many years. His previous book and film, 'The End of the Line', was very influential, but he is still bursting with frustration that the many damages are still be ignored or politically traded.
Rewilding the Sea is a wonderful discussion and description of current issues of acute concern by Charles Clover who wears double hat of highly expert plus highly skilled communicator as professional journalist. He presents examples of projects that demonstrate improvements to marine health.
"We need to trust nature a little more and invest in the natural world in the only way we can, by being a little more prepared to leave it alone" YES!!!

[Marcio Luiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lack of political will, anchored at short term political needs, total incapacity of politicians to establish necessary policies to manage ecosystems, low importance given to scientists warnings are killing the oceans' ecosystems, both on biotic and abiotic compounds. The continuous need to produce more and more output are imposing a prohibitive cost to ecosystems, beyond the carrying capacity and the recovery that "renewable" resources need to continue functional. The author proposes actions based on his personal experience as an agent of change on this topic, that each one of us can apply on a daily basis. That's not only politicians problems, problems are coming to all of us.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An urgently important book. The damage we're causing to the oceans dwarfs the more visible damage we're causing to the land, and progress to mitigate and reverse this is slow. But Charles Clover shows us that it is possible, and happening now, and that it can and must be accelerated. The book is packed with inspiring, data-based evidence of real positive impact: a crucial driver of the hope we need if we're to not give in to despair.

[Sue Heavens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Informative and optimistic.

[Kevin Casemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly brilliant. Full of despair and hope (but not in equal measure). Inspiring stories of collective action, and awesome people throughout the world trying to revive our seas. This is a must read.

[Victoria Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was depressing

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love nature memoirs and books about nature and conservation and why it's important and all that. This book is far more focused on conservation than the actual ocean itself but I didn't mind that too much, it worked for me. I liked hearing about the 'Blue Belt' and the efforts of various organisations to preserve the ocean's diversity for the sake of us and the world around us. The author is also very knowledgeable about fishing and the types of fishing there are (and the damage they do to the environment), which I found useful and interesting.

I wish this book had talked more about the ocean itself and how the different species help in the world around us (though I did appreciate the discussion about oysters especially), but I found it a really interesting book, even if it wasn't what I had expected when I first picked it up.

4 stars!

[Titia Sjenitzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read, great balance between success stories and stressing the pressing problem we still have to deal with and all the road blocks we have to overcome.

Note that the title suggests a very comprehensive approach, but the book is mainly focused on projects that he has been involved in, zooming in on addressing overfishing and destructive fishing practices. It's an impressive selection of projects though, and I very much support his vision on the road towards a healthy ocean and with that a massive contribution towards fighting cone climate change.

A great book for anyone who's new to understanding the role of the ocean in the climate debate, and those that are already in the fore front for years, alike.

[Tamsin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

Some of the points made are quite paradigm-shifting (assuming they're accurate), such as mangroves soak up twice as much carbon as a tropical rainforest and overfishing could be having as much environmental impact as the global aviation industry. It's important to draw attention to the less visible plight of submarine life.

However, I put the book down for several months as I found it too dry in the middle. Also, it felt rather like rhetoric in places, lacked some references and quite possibly oversimplified various issues. He also has quite an essentialist view of countries.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read. We really can all make a difference!

Charles Clover, brilliantly simplifies complex ecosystems, our oceans, the ones humankind is collectively destroying. But unlike so many other 'we humans have or are destroying our planet' books, he shares so much reason for hope, and enspires us common citizens to play our part.

Prior to reading his book, I was contemplating helping the Sussex kelp project, now I am enthusiastically, all in!

Thank you Charles Clover

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A policy wonk's reflections on his career campaigning for creating marine protected area that are interesting at times but often too self-congratulatory.

Stars deducted mostly for a lack of analysis of the real drivers behind overfishing, capitalism is not mentioned once! Frustrating language throughout, an entire chapter titled 'enemies of progress', without any introspection that this 'progress' might be the real driver of overfishing.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

An uplifting book that I find especially useful as a marine science educator. I’m so glad I stumbled across this book in an outdoor shop on the Isle of Arran. :) It contains great stories about conservation struggles and success stories in marine ecosystems. Examples are UK-centric: Lyme Bay, Chagos Islands, Ascension, St. Helena, and Tristan de Cunha, the Solent, Scottish Islands, the English Channel, and the North Sea.

[Bea Sayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very hopeful yet terrifying look into the state of our oceans and the massive issue of overfishing- and in particular trawling and dredging. This book has given me a whole new perspective on the importance of protecting our ocean habitat and in particular our marine wildlife. I also loved the chapter on the amazing efforts in Lyme Bay and Dorset to remove the scallop dredgers and the impact this has had- will have to consult my brother as to whether he's felt an impact as a local fisherman!

[Sander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ocean has changed over the years and the fisheries industry is not only the biggest threat to fish, but also plays a large role in climate change. This book is a memoire of succes stories of rewilding the sea, showing that leaving parts of the ocean alone can benefit not only the fish, but also fisheries and the wider public. Written in a grasping, inspirational and positive way -> a very important book!

[Delcene Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book about strategies and practices employed to rectify the damage to marine ecosystems by unchecked and rampant overfishing in the world’s seas and oceans.
Fortunately the efforts by scientists and a range of marine specialists and members of the public are slowly paying off with the regeneration of the environment and increased diversity is returning to vulnerable environments.
The capacity of earth to heal itself is very heartening indeed.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a big eye opener when it comes to the current state of our oceans and the importance of looking after them. I have learnt so much about the change in the UK oceans and overseas over the years. This book has provided a really balanced argument about how the fishing industry should look in the future. I really recommend this book for learning about our ocean and how best to protect it if we want to sustain it's diversity and reduce climate change effects on the planet in our future.

[Mario · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and thought-provoking read and one which offers a glimmer of hope which is rare when discussing anything regarding nature, the environment and its degradation. Whether I have any faith in any major governments implementing potential strategies that will put long-term sustainability and benefits for everyone over short-term profits for the few is another thing altogether.

[LornaIsabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hopeful and importantly, accessible book to help anyone learn more about the complexity of our amazing ocean and what it faces. Filled with 10 stories of change. Some chapters may be more relatable and connect with you more than others, but a book to return to while reading and also once finished 💙

[Adam Tinworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most chilling and inspiring books I’ve read this year. The ocean’s role in sustaining life in earth is ill-understood and the damage being done by industrial fishing threatens both us - and the livelihoods of the fishing fleets.

You’ll never look at the ocean in the same way again.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book present a simplified version of the usual issues which makes for an easy read, which is a nice change from the slog that scientific books so often are. I didn’t find it particularly groundbreaking, but its appeal to the masses will hopefully serve as a good introduction for others.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly pacey and balanced the line between optimism and realism well, celebrating successes while acknowledging some of the challenges faced by ocean rewilding. Had some brilliant stuff about British marine biodiversity that I just didn’t know about.

[Delilah Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing amazing book, everyone needs to read it. He describes overfishing as like trawling for lions, tigers and rhinos, which gives some much needed perspective. And Norwegian tinned tuna is actually from the Gambia and oysters are actually a big deal and and and….