The major piece of science upon which the cinematic triumph, Ocean with David Attenborough hinges is that despite the level of destruction being wrought upon it at the hands of bottom-trawl fishing, the ocean is capable of a recovery far faster and widespread than we – scientists – had previously imagined possible.

It’s called the ‘spillover effect’ – a phenomenon only capable within the marine environment and one that can only occur when the proper protections of ocean ecosystems are in place. And that means the highest level of protections; Marine Protected Areas designated as no-take zones in which biodiversity can replenish and thrive, surging to an abundance that not only populated the protected area itself, but over-flows into the waters surrounding it.

It’s a wonderful bit of science and a discovery that could – and should – bridge the gap between conservation and the small-scale fishing industry. A pathway to what all parties desire; a healthy and abundant ocean. 

In his latest column for Oceanographic, Professor Callum Roberts, head of marine biology at the University of Exeter and a scientific advisor on the film, Ocean with David Attenborough, talks us through the science of spillover.

Find out more in his video column below: