The End of the Line (2009)

Shown on Sundance in September 2011, an interesting look at the fishing industry that is over-fishing and will probably soon wipe out the available species currently in the oceans. Some great photography on an interesting subject, but it does suffer from VOLUMITIS... an illness which occurs in many indy/documentaries... the volume varies between VERY LOUD and barely audible, so one spends the entire film turning the volume up and down. Frustrating. Almost as annoying as watching the un-concerned countries continue over-fishing, even after the discussions of limits. Maybe we need the fishing-police, kind of like Whale Wars, where a group monitors and distracts the culprits caught in the act. The cast goes all over the world, studying various countries habits. They DO show specific charts on what they see happening to various species of fish, so its not all here-say and opinions. They also talk about other impacts to the beaches, the algae, and how it affects the food groups above and below the overfished groups. A good watch, but don't lose the remote, since you'll need to keep changing the volume. Also, the narrator sounds JUST like Ted Danson, but as of today, he is not mentioned in the credits here on IMDb... but there he is, listed on Sundance Channel.com

The preservation of environment has to do with only one thing: preservation of environment. For the sake of the most vicious predator (human) and his / her children. Human is most vicious predator because s/he is the only animal that kills for sports (pleasure). Same applies for preservation of any species: if human cannot control the environment and causes species to go extinct - then human must begin to learn now to preserve environment and animals, because human population is growing exponentially (without bounds) and nature (trees) with its animals are DISAPPEARING: there will be no place left for forest, nature, animals. No place left for Healthy Environment. CONSUMPTION is not "cool" anymore. Stop consuming and live in harmony with environment.

Who's the scariest predator in all the world's oceans? Not the shark or killer whale…it's -- you guessed it -- (fisher)Man.This documentary shows how high-tech sonar equipment and nets the size of seven jumbo jets are depleting the main source of protein for 60% of the planet's people. Just as cod was wiped out off of Newfoundland, leaving tens of thousands unemployed, choice species of fish could disappear forever, leaving an unsavory array of "cow face" rays and worms in their wake. And fish farming isn't the answer because farm fish eat chopped up anchovies and other "fish meal." The film's nearly all-male talking heads sound a terrifying warning that must be heeded. But since many countries are involved and enforcement of regulations is lax it seems like an insurmountable problem. The film does hint at what regular Joes can do to help…I.e., refrain from ordering endangered species like marlin at hoity-toity boutique eateries like Nobu in NYC.

With the series of outstanding documentaries dealing with the dodgy subject of food,is it time for another documentary dealing,this time with the denizens of the deep blue sea? Answer:YOU BET! 'The End Of The Line'is an eye opening film about how our seafood source is slowly being depleted (Sushi,anyone?),and within the next 50 (or so)years,there will not be any more fish in the waterways of the world,due to over fishing (marine life,as we know it,will only be a distant memory,and anything resembling marine life will be on display in either history books,or worse yet,places such as Marine World,where dolphins,whales,etc.are exploited for the sake of entertainment). Rupert Murray ('Unknown White Male') directs & photographs this wake up call that,although does not take up a vegetarian agenda (such as 'Food,Inc.'),does offer some suggestions as to reduce the danger of certain species of marine life,due to over fishing. Not rated by the MPAA,this film contains some rather upsetting footage of mass fishing, including some raw, bloody footage of fish being brutally handled