Educational Media Reviews Online

Empty Oceans, Empty Nets delivers a thorough summary of the global marine fisheries crisis and makes excellent use of ship-board videos, interviews and graphics. The video quality is excellent, the editing seamless and the narration by Peter Coyote is poised and well paced. Factors contributing to fish population declines are presented within the framework of four case studies: the cod and haddock fishery of Georges Bank; swordfish long-lining on the Flemish Cap; the traditional Tonnara tuna harvest in Sicily; and the salmon and halibut fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska. By the end of the film viewers will understand the problems of by-catch, juvenile (pre-reproductive) fish harvest, habitat destruction and problems posed by the increased mechanization of the fishing process. It is shocking enough to learn that 20 million metric tons of by-catch fish are destroyed per year, but footage of these unwanted fish being thrown overboard reinforces the message. The footage of sea-floor disturbance caused by bottom trawls is dramatic and something not commonly seen in other fisheries related videos.

Empty Oceans, Empty Nets shows some thought provoking footage of fish farming operations and does a wonderful job of explaining the pros and cons of intensive fish culture. The film is certainly a wake-up call, but the recovered salmon runs and sustainably harvested halibut in Gulf of Alaska show that by understanding the biological needs of fish and controlling harvest, we can have sustainable fisheries. The film also describes how consumers can follow the guidelines of the Marine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch to make informed decisions about the seafood they buy. I highly recommend this video to all public, school and college libraries as it is the best, most informative and well balanced fisheries video I have seen.