B. Cite 3 arguments from the documentary.

C. Evaluate each argument.

Netflix released a documentary entitled “Seaspiracy” in 2021. The documentary featured

various personalities which include activists, corporate officials, scientists, and private
individuals from different walks of life. Based from their statements, we have derived the
following arguments:

1. The polar regions are warming faster than any part of the planet.

The documentary states that oceans are home to eighty percent (80%) of all life on earth
and unbeknownst to a lot of us, ocean creatures like dolphins, whales and sharks are great
contributors in battling climate change. When dolphins, sharks and whales breath on the surface
of the ocean, they release oxygen which fertilizes certain marine plants called phytoplankton.
These marine plants can absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere four times as the amazon forest
and they also generate up to 85% of the world’s oxygen supply.

Due to various human activities that include large scale commercial fishing (most of which
are illegal) done in different parts of the world and uncontrolled waste disposal in our bodies of
water, many sea creatures particularly dolphins, whales and sharks are being killed as “bycatch”
and discarded to the seas and oceans as “wastes”. Considering these creatures’ contributions in
preventing global warming, their death and eventual extinction would mean the death of the
ocean and most especially-the death of man.

At first glance, this statement about the ocean’s death leading to man’s death seems
extreme. However, this claim is backed by scientific facts and evidence, and is delivered in a
manner that emphasizes the gravity of the current state of ocean and sea creatures being at the
mercy of man’s greed and indifference. If the idea of death does not make us spring into action
to save, restore and protect the oceans, seas and the earth as a whole, then maybe death is what
we deserve.

1. The polar regions are warming faster than any part of the planet.

One of the ideas forwarded in the documentary which can also be viewed as extreme is
that to “leave the ocean alone” simply means to not eat what is produced by the ocean. As shown
in the documentary, this idea is highly influenced by the fact that most of the people involved
(fishermen, traders, corporations, government) in the process of catching, manufacturing and
selling or trading sea-based and ocean-based products do these in a manner that is illegal and
kills an unnecessary number of ocean and sea creatures. Moreover, laws, rules and regulations
concerning these activities are violated and very few are held accountable in their illegal
activities. Those involved in safeguarding the oceans and seas and those involved in the
enforcement of rules and regulations against illegal commercial fishing activities even lost their
lives in the process of performing their duties.
In many of the less developed countries in the world, fishing is one of the main sources of
livelihood. This is especially seen among communities situated near bodies of water whose main
food source are fishes. Considering that many people depend on the oceans and seas for daily
survival, it might not be possible to absolutely leave the seas and oceans alone. Thus, apart from
resorting to alternative sources of food and sources of living, fishing activities must be done in a
manner that does not harm sea creatures- to take only what we need.

2. What we do in the next twenty years will determine the future for all life on earth.
Source:

Marine Stewardship Council. What is sustainable fishing?. https://www.msc.org/what-we-are-

doing/our-approach/what-is-sustainable-fishing. Accessed from the internet 11/10/2022.