A Call to Protect Our Ocean
In September, parishioners at St. Joseph’s Dinnington gathered for a screening of Ocean, the latest documentary by Sir David Attenborough. In what he calls his greatest message yet, Attenborough reminds us that we do not live on a planet of land—but a planet of water. Over 70% of Earth’s surface is ocean. The seas produce half the oxygen we breathe and absorb a quarter of all carbon emissions, yet for many of us, they remain out of sight and out of mind. As he powerfully says, “What happens beneath the waves affects every breath we take, every meal we eat, and every future we hope to build.” This message is not only for scientists or world leaders—it is for each of us in our diocese.
The film reveals the astonishing beauty and diversity of marine life: dazzling coral reefs, the haunting songs of whales, and swaying kelp forests alive with fish, seabirds, and seals. It shows that the ocean is not only wondrous but vital to life on Earth.
Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine species and act as natural breakwaters, protecting coasts from storms and erosion.
Kelp forests, the underwater woodlands of the sea, shelter young fish and marine mammals, absorb carbon dioxide, and buffer our planet against climate change.
Yet Ocean also exposes the serious threats beneath the surface—warming seas, plastic pollution, overfishing, and destructive practices like bottom trawling. Bottom trawling drags weighted nets across the seabed, flattening coral reefs, sponge gardens, and seagrass meadows. It kills indiscriminately: up to 90% of what is caught is discarded, often dead.~
Despite this, Attenborough leaves us with a message of hope. “It’s hard not to lose hope,” he admits, “were it not for the most remarkable discovery of all—the ocean can recover faster than we ever thought possible.” When marine areas are protected, life returns. Fully protected “no-take zones,” where fishing is banned, have shown extraordinary results. In Lyme Bay, England’s own coral garden, bottom trawling once devastated the seabed. Since becoming a Marine Protected Area in 2008, reef species have increased by 95%, and fish populations have soared nearly 400%. Even fishermen outside the reserve now enjoy better catches. The benefits ripple far beyond the boundaries of protection.
There are signs of global progress. The UK is proposing a ban on bottom trawling in nearly one-third of English Marine Protected Areas—about 30,000 square kilometres. Meanwhile, the United Nations High Seas Treaty, which aims to safeguard 30% of the world’s ocean, has been ratified by 60 countries and will become binding international law in January 2026.
Attenborough’s message is clear: a healthy ocean is essential for a healthy Earth. His hope is that we come to see the sea as the lifeblood of our planet. If we save the ocean, we save our world. Let us be the diocese that chooses to protect the sea—our shared home and God’s magnificent creation. Christine Parrott
