The End of The Line
- Posted: 26th Mar 2010
- Category: Reviews
Plenty more fish in the sea? Not any more, as it turns out. Since commercial fishing began more than 50 years ago, man has been systematically stripping the ocean of its resources – 90% of the ocean’s large fish have already gone. The End of the Line is a labour of love based on the book by environmental journalist, Charles Clover. The film documents the wide-ranging impacts of over-fishing, focusing on the worldwide decimation of bluefin tuna. The opening is an aquatic celebration; haunting images of technicoloured seafarers set against an ethereal soundtrack. But this is no Blue Planet; this is a protected marine reserve and a predator is lurking on the horizon, a hunter so skilled no creature on earth stands a chance.
Back in the 1990’s, Newfoundland’s thriving fishing industry dried up almost overnight. 40,000 people lost their jobs and the cod population never recovered. Sadly lessons were not learned and politicians and commercial fisheries have allowed unsustainable practices to continue under poor regulation. Scientists now estimate that, at current trends, we will see the end of most seafood by 2048. It’s no longer a question of if, but when.
The consequences of this decline are not just being felt in the west, where our insatiable appetite for seafood is in part to blame for the global race to supply demand. Repercussions are particularly devastating in developing nations, where many individuals rely on the ocean for their livelihoods. Senegalese fisherman, Adama Mbergaul, now makes a profit of just $2 per day from his catch. “The sea betrayed us”, he says, but the viewer is only too aware of the irony of his statement.
Back in the 1990’s, Newfoundland’s thriving fishing industry dried up almost overnight. 40,000 people lost their jobs and the cod population never recovered. Sadly lessons were not learned and politicians and commercial fisheries have allowed unsustainable practices to continue under poor regulation. Scientists now estimate that, at current trends, we will see the end of most seafood by 2048. It’s no longer a question of if, but when.
The consequences of this decline are not just being felt in the west, where our insatiable appetite for seafood is in part to blame for the global race to supply demand. Repercussions are particularly devastating in developing nations, where many individuals rely on the ocean for their livelihoods. Senegalese fisherman, Adama Mbergaul, now makes a profit of just $2 per day from his catch. “The sea betrayed us”, he says, but the viewer is only too aware of the irony of his statement.
Throughout the film our growing distaste for the commercial fisheries – and all that they represent – is reinforced by relentless, brutal images of the catch; fast cuts of shining, writhing bodies and waters turned red with blood are juxtaposed with sweeping aerial images and underwater shots. The filmmakers frequently make a major statement, and then pull back, leaving the viewer to consider the information for themselves. The implication is that it’s up to all of us to take action to prevent the continued slaughter of the seas. Indeed, the real heroes emerging from The End of The Line are the scientists whose unwavering dedication and good humour help to illustrate that this is not just an environmental issue, but a people one.
The message is ultimately positive. The situation can be turned around if we all take more responsibility for the food that we buy. Supermarkets and politicians are, say the filmmakers, at the frontline in bringing about these changes. And The End of the Line is not just a film: thanks to its accompanying campaign, Pret A Manger has already banned unsustainable tuna from its stores with M&S and Waitrose recently following suit. Perhaps documentaries can change the world: thanks to campaigns such as this, we may still find ourselves enjoying the fruits of the ocean for years to come.
The End of The Line will be showing at cinemas across the country from Friday 12 June. To join the campaign visit endoftheline.com/campaign/