A new three-part documentary series co-produced by acclaimed ocean photographer, film producer, and Worcester State alumnus Brian Skerry ’84 is set to premiere July 24 on PBS.
Called “Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine,” a NOVA special presentation, the series documents the impact of climate change on the Gulf of Maine, which extends 36,000 square miles along the eastern seaboard of North America, from Cape Cod to New Brunswick.
Skerry graduated from Worcester State in 1984 with a degree in media communications and was the university’s commencement speaker in 2021. He says the series aims to capture the beauty of the Gulf of Maine despite the devastating effects of climate change. His stunning photography has been showcased in National Geographic for 26 years, including a cover story on the Gulf of Maine in the June 2024 issue.
Skerry’s special focus on the Gulf of Maine was driven by his realization that the region is warming 97 percent faster than the global ocean. The rising water temperatures have had calamitous effects on the area’s wildlife ecosystems and surrounding communities. Skerry has a deep connection to the Gulf of Maine because he has been diving in its waters for over 40 years. He has witnessed the changes in the ecosystem and the impact of climate change on the region firsthand.
“My original plan [for the series] was to visit the most spectacular locations I had dived in decades past—places like Eastport, Maine, where the extreme tides of Passamaquoddy Bay exchange water and nutrients multiple times a day,” Skerry told National Geographic. “I remembered Eastport as a cold-water kaleidoscope of fish species and invertebrates that could be seen easily just by making a dive from the beach. But when I got there, it was like a ghost town. The abundance of life that I had seen before was gone. Where exotic-looking creatures once carpeted the bottom, now there was only mud. Water temperatures were noticeably warmer.”
Skerry also found that due to warming waters some fisheries in the Gulf have been depleted to extreme levels, affecting the livelihoods of fishermen and the availability of seafood. The increase in temperature also affects the distribution and abundance of species, potentially leading to shifts in the food web and disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. On land, climate change can contribute to more frequent and intense storms, which can cause beach erosion and damage to coastal communities.
“I’ve always had a deep love for the Gulf of Maine as a New England native and a current resident,” said Skerry, who grew up in Uxbridge and now lives in Maine. “Every other breath we take is of oxygen that was generated from our oceans. But they are now in peril, something that we can document deeply in the Gulf of Maine, an area that has provided for this continent long-before the arrival of Europeans and far into the last century. What once provided a seemingly endless supply of cod fish, lobsters, and clams, now allows us to witness firsthand the devastating changes brought on by climate change. It’s my hope that this series serves as a cautionary tale, as well as a tribute to one of my favorite places.”
The first episode in the “Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine” series is titled “Bounty” and premieres Wednesday, July 24 at 10 p.m. ET. The episode delves into the history of the Gulf and how centuries of human innovation have led to unnatural extraction and changes in the ecosystem. It highlights the rapid warming of the Gulf and examines how both people and wildlife are adapting to these changes.
The second episode, “Peril,” premieres Wednesday, July 31 at 10 p.m. ET and focuses on a remote and relatively pristine part of the Gulf called Cashes Ledge. Scientists use this area to study the unique characteristics of the Gulf, such as its cold waters, tides, and geological shape, and how they support a diverse range of species, including microscopic plankton and massive right whales.
The third episode, “Survival,” premieres Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 10 p.m. ET and explores the future of the Gulf of Maine and the global oceans. It showcases the efforts of indigenous scholars, scientists, and entrepreneurs who are taking new approaches to conservation, finding ways to make a living from the sea, and charting a new course in the face of changing waters.
“Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine,” a NOVA special presentation, will be available to stream on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App (available on iOS and Android), Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO.
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