‘Sea Change: Gulf of Maine’ explores ocean warming off N.E.
World famous ocean photographer Brian Skerry achieves a life-long dream with the documentary series “Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine,” premiering Wednesday on PBS.
“I’ve been working as a National Geographic magazine photographer for 20 years. Producing stories that I create about the ocean, about ocean issues and wildlife, producing and directing underwater films, documentaries,” Skerry, 55, said in a phone interview.
“For most of my career, I’ve wanted to do a project about New England waters, about the Gulf of Maine. This body of water from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, up through Nova Scotia.
“A few years ago, a scientific paper was published that revealed that the Gulf of Maine, this very historic and beautiful body of water, has been identified as one of the epicenters of global ocean climate change. They say it’s warming faster than 97% of the rest of the global ocean.
“Since I knew these waters I felt the sense of urgency and responsibility to try to bring visual context to what that meant.
“Simultaneously, I was working on this National Geographic cover story for the June issue which came out last month, and this three-part television series for GBH PBS.
“What do I want audiences to take away?
“Several things, but essentially that this is a body of water that is unique in the world. When it was formed after the last ice age, it was created with this unique blend of ingredients. With the right sediment bottoms and the right coastlines and the right currents and the right temperate zone — to result in a proliferation of life.
“It in no small way fostered the colonization of America with the Portuguese and the Basques and the French and British coming over in the 14th-15th-16th centuries to mostly fish for cod. It built the New England ‘codfish aristocracies’ in Massachusetts.
“But today it is facing its greatest threat from this anthropogenic climate change that is devastating many of the native species that we know and love. They are leaving or changing or going away.
“Ecosystems are completely dying and collapsing — and the coastal communities have to deal with that.
“So this is a television series that is pure natural history. In some regards, we’re looking at animals and wildlife underwater. But we’re also looking at these coastal communities and how they might pivot to mitigate economic damage. Or at least get ahead of the curve.”
As for any conclusions in his “Sea Change” series, “At the end of the day I hope it’s entertaining, enlightening and maybe inspiring to help people make good decisions about the future.”
The three-part documentary series “Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine,” a NOVA Special Presentation, premieres Wednesdays, July 24 – Aug. 7 at 10 p.m. on PBS, the PBS App, and NOVA on YouTube.
Ocean photographer Brian Skerry’s documentary series “Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine,” premieres Wednesday on PBS. (Photo Brian Skerry)