The ocean is big. Really big. We’re talking about a space that covers 70% of the earth's surface, yet most of us only ever see the thin blue line where the water hits the sand. When the Netflix series Our Planet dropped back in 2019, narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough, it wasn’t just another nature documentary. It felt like a wake-up call. Specifically, the "High Seas" episode took us into the "no man’s land" of the global commons—the deep, dark, and often lawless parts of the ocean that exist outside of any single country’s control.
Honestly, it’s a bit weird how we think about the sea. We focus on the colorful coral reefs because they’re pretty and easy to film. But the high seas? That’s where the real action is. It's a massive, three-dimensional wilderness.
The Brutal Reality of the Blue Desert
People call the open ocean a "blue desert." At first glance, that makes sense. You can sail for days and see nothing but ripples. But Our Planet showed us that this is a total misconception. The high seas are actually a bustling highway for some of the most massive migrations on earth. Think about the blue whale. This creature is the size of a Boeing 737. It spends its life navigating these vast distances, relying on underwater mountains called seamounts to find food.
These seamounts are basically oases.
When ocean currents hit a seamount, they push nutrient-rich water up from the deep. It's called upwelling. This triggers a massive bloom of plankton, which brings in the small fish, which brings in the tuna, which brings in the sharks and whales. It’s a vertical buffet. The film captured this brilliantly, showing us that the "empty" ocean is actually a series of high-traffic hotspots connected by long, lonely stretches of blue.
Why the Deep Sea is Actually Our Life Support
You’ve probably heard that the Amazon rainforest is the "lungs of the planet." Well, that’s only half the story. The ocean actually produces at least 50% of the world's oxygen. Most of that comes from phytoplankton—tiny, plant-like organisms that drift in the upper layers of the water.
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But there’s a catch.
Carbon sequestration in the high seas is a complex dance. When creatures like whales or large fish die, they sink. This is known as "marine snow." They carry all the carbon stored in their bodies down to the sea floor, where it stays buried for centuries. Without this process, our atmosphere would be a lot hotter than it already is. The Our Planet team worked closely with organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to illustrate this "biological pump." It’s not just about saving pretty animals; it’s about maintaining a literal climate-control system that keeps us alive.
The Problem With "No Man’s Land"
The biggest takeaway from the high seas wildlife film isn't just the beauty; it’s the vulnerability. Because these waters don't belong to any one nation, they’ve been treated like a free-for-all for decades. Overfishing is the obvious villain here.
Industrial fishing fleets use technology that feels like something out of a sci-fi movie. We're talking about longlines that are 50 miles long with thousands of baited hooks. Or bottom trawling, where heavy nets are dragged across the seafloor, smashing ancient deep-sea corals that have been growing for thousands of years. It’s like clear-cutting a redwood forest to catch a few squirrels.
The Mystery of the Twilight Zone
One of the most fascinating parts of the "High Seas" narrative involves the Mesopelagic zone, or the "Twilight Zone." This is the layer between 200 and 1,000 meters deep. It’s too dark for photosynthesis, but it’s packed with life. In fact, there is likely more fish biomass in the Twilight Zone than in all the rest of the ocean combined.
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Every night, the largest migration on Earth happens here.
Billions of tiny creatures move from the depths up to the surface to feed under the cover of darkness. Then, at dawn, they sink back down. It’s a massive, daily pulse of life. The film used specialized low-light cameras to capture the bioluminescence of these creatures—lanternfish and hatchetfish that glow to confuse predators. It’s alien. There's no other word for it.
What the Film Didn't Tell You
Look, Our Planet is a masterpiece of cinematography, but it’s also a piece of media with a specific goal. It wants you to care. Sometimes, that means it simplifies the science to make a point.
For instance, while the film focuses heavily on the "charismatic megafauna"—the whales and sharks—it brushes over the sheer scale of the microbial life that actually runs the show. Viruses and bacteria in the high seas are the true masters of the ecosystem. They recycle nutrients at a scale that's hard to wrap your head around.
Also, the legal landscape has changed since the film was released.
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In 2023, after nearly two decades of talk, UN member states finally agreed on the "High Seas Treaty." This is a huge deal. It provides a legal framework for establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in international waters. Before this, only about 1% of the high seas were protected. The goal now is "30 by 30"—protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. The film helped build the public pressure needed to get that treaty signed, but the hard work of actually enforcing those rules is just beginning.
The Ghost Gear Crisis
Another thing that deserves more airtime is "ghost gear." These are abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing nets and lines. They don’t just disappear. They keep fishing.
A single lost driftnet can wander the high seas for years, entangling everything from sea turtles to dolphins. It’s a silent killer. While the film shows the impact of active fishing, the legacy of plastic pollution and lost equipment is a much harder problem to solve because there’s no one to hold accountable once the boat is gone.
How to Actually Watch Nature Docs Without Getting Depressed
It’s easy to watch these films and feel like the world is ending. The "Attenborough Effect" is real—we feel inspired, then we feel helpless, then we go back to our lives. But the high seas are surprisingly resilient if we just leave them alone for five minutes.
- Check the sourcing. If you're buying seafood, look beyond the "dolphin safe" label. Use guides like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. The high seas are often where the most unsustainable "pirate" fishing happens.
- Support the 30x30 movement. The High Seas Treaty is a piece of paper until countries actually ratify it and fund the patrols. Keep an eye on how your local government is contributing to international maritime policy.
- Reduce plastic, but focus on the big stuff. Yes, straws suck. But the majority of large plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually fishing-related gear. Support organizations like The Ocean Cleanup that are specifically targeting these high-seas accumulation zones.
- Stay curious about the deep. We have better maps of the surface of Mars than we do of the deep ocean floor. Support deep-sea exploration and science. The more we know about what’s down there, the harder it is for companies to justify mining it for minerals.
The high seas aren't just a backdrop for a wildlife film. They are the engine of our planet. When we watch Our Planet, we're not just looking at a different world—we're looking at the system that keeps our own world running. Protecting it isn't about charity; it's about survival.
The next time you look at a map of the world, don't just see the continents. Look at the blue. That’s where the real story is happening.
Practical Next Steps for Ocean Advocacy:
- Download the Seafood Watch App: Use it in real-time at the grocery store or restaurants to identify which species are being overfished in international waters.
- Track the High Seas Treaty: Follow the High Seas Alliance to see which countries have officially ratified the 2023 agreement and contact local representatives to urge action if your country is lagging.
- Support Deep-Sea Research: Look into the work of the Schmidt Ocean Institute or OceanX; they often livestream deep-sea dives, providing a direct look at the ecosystems mentioned in the film.
- Minimize Microplastic Contribution: Use a laundry filter (like a Cora Ball or Lint Luv-R) to catch synthetic fibers before they wash out into the water system and eventually reach the open ocean.