Submerge. Discover. Engage. THE SERIES The oceans have long captivated people s imaginations. Only five percent of their vast expanse has been explored leaving in secret a deep, liquid wilderness yet to be discovered. Changing Seas takes viewers on an exciting adventure to the heart of our blue planet. Join experts on a scientific mission at the world s only underwater laboratory, explore the magnificent corals and creatures of the deep sea, or experience the excitement as scientists study powerful tiger sharks. In each episode of Changing Seas audiences dive beneath the surface with different experts who study earth s last frontier. Along the way, they learn how human activities are threatening the health of the sea and its inhabitants. This public television series is produced by WPBT2 in Miami, Florida, and narrated by well-known voice talent Peter Thomas. Six seasons (24 exciting episodes) have aired to date, and Season 7 is currently in production. DISTRIBUTION Changing Seas airs in 100% of the nation s Top 25 PBS markets. Overall, the series has a 90% carriage on all PBS stations. Internationally, the programs have been broadcast in more than 30 countries, ranging from the Middle East to Asia. AWARDS In 2011 Changing Seas was the winner of the prestigious Communication Award presented by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. In addition, Changing Seas has been recognized with two Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards. CHANGING SEAS ONLINE Changing Seas has an active online presence. The series website www.changingseas.tv features full-length videos and additional resources. The series also has its own YouTube channel (ChangingSeasTV), Facebook and Tumblr pages, and Twitter feed. SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS The Changing Seas production team works closely with the scientific community to develop story ideas that are relevant to current issues in ocean science and to ensure the program s scientific accuracy. Each episode of Changing Seas features marine scientists from private research institutions, academia and state and federal agencies. To date, the series has featured experts from more than 60 organizations, including the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Smithsonian Institution, Mote Marine Laboratory, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, the University of Miami s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. FUNDERS This series is made possible by a generous grant from and additional funding from DIVERS DIRECT & EMOCEAN and DO UNTO OTHERS TRUST. For more information contact: Alexa Elliott Series Producer, Changing Seas alexa_elliott@wpbt.org 305.424.4185 An original production of
Season 1 101: Super Grouper At a time when large fish are rapidly disappearing from the world s oceans, the giant Goliath Grouper is making a comeback in Florida. 102: Mission To Inner Space Scientists spend ten days below the sea at the world s only underwater laboratory Aquarius, to study the effects of ocean acidification on local reef ecosystems. 103: Corals of the Deep In the deep waters off Florida s Atlantic coast grow magnificent structures, capable of reaching 300 feet in height. These are the corals of the deep sea. 104: Farming the Sea An ever-growing demand for fresh seafood has pushed wild stocks around the world to the brink. Aquaculture is one alternative to wild-caught fish. Season 2 201: No Fish Left Uncounted A team of research divers counts fish in Dry Tortugas National Park to evaluate if marine protected areas are helping the regional ecosystem rebound from years of overfishing and environmental change. 202: Sentinels of the Seas Florida s bottlenose dolphins are showing disturbing signs of immune system dysfunction and disease, which may be linked to contaminant exposure. 203: Seagrasses and Mangroves Seagrasses and mangroves are in decline globally, threatening an ecosystem collapse from the bottom of the food chain all the way to the top. 204: Sinking the Vandenberg Near Key West lies the world s second largest intentionally sunk shipwreck, the USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. This artificial reef is now attracting fish, fishermen and divers.
Season 3 301: Alien Invaders In the waters of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, a voracious alien predator has taken hold. Native to the Indo-Pacific, the invasive lionfish is a major threat to biodiversity. 302: Reef Revival In the emerging science of coral reef restoration, experts are discovering naturally occurring mechanisms that promote coral growth and restore ecological balance in these gardens of the sea. 303: Prescription: Oceans In Florida, scientists are testing sea sponges for their potential anti-cancer properties. These and other marine invertebrates may hold the key to unlocking the secrets of our own biology. 304: After the Spill The impact of the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is far from over. Oceanographers continue to study the longterm effects this disaster might have on marine ecosystems. Season 4 PHOTO JOSH GOODSTEIN 401: Tracking Tigers Tiger sharks are the ultimate apex predators. Scientists use satellite tags and DNA forensic tools to better understand the migrations of this magnificent species and to investigate the impacts of the world shark fin trade. 402: Mysterious Microbes On coral reefs, microorganisms are copious creatures. Throughout Florida, scientists painstakingly work to identify key players within this microbial community and directly link a devastating coral disease to a human pathogen. 403: Grouper Moon During the winter full moons Nassau Grouper gather in large numbers to spawn. Most of the known spawning sites have been fished out, but the Cayman Islands are home to the last great reproductive population of this endangered species. 404: Coastal Carnivores Scientists studying the coastal Everglades have made some perplexing discoveries. Bull sharks are living upstream where alligators should thrive, and gators are swimming out to the ocean to feed. This episode is a co-production with Symbio Studios.
Season 5 501: Coral Hybrids While Elkhorn and Staghorn corals have undergone a drastic decline in the Caribbean, their hybrid, Fused Staghorn, is increasing in numbers in parts of the region. Experts are studying the animals in Belize to see if the hybrid might be better equipped to deal with environmental stressors than its parents. 502: Sunken Stories In the Florida Keys, divers from around the country learn how to map shipwrecks and apply their skills on a mysterious 19th century slave ship. When diving isn t possible, professional explorers use high-tech tools to scan objects buried beneath the seafloor. 503: Creatures of the Deep In the cold, deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, little-known animals spend their entire lives far removed from our human world. Until now, little research has been conducted on these creatures of the deep, keeping much of their lives a mystery. 504: Reefs of Rangiroa Scientists with the Global Reef Expedition are on a six year mission to study remote coral reefs around the world. While in French Polynesia, the experts conduct extensive habitat mapping to create one of a kind seafloor atlases. Scientists also assess the health of the reefs to compare and contrast the resilience of reef systems over a large geographical area. This episode is a co-production with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. Season 6 601: Living Fossils In the deep, dark waters off the coast of Roatan, Honduras, strange flowerlike animals flourish. These sea lilies and feather stars, known as Crinoids, have been around in various forms since before the age of Dinosaurs. Now experts descend into the deep to study the animals from a submersible. 602: Biggest Fish in the Sea Each summer, the world s largest known aggregation of whale sharks occurs just off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, attracting tourists and scientists alike. Hundreds of these gentle giants come to the area to feed on plankton, giving experts the opportunity to learn more about the largest fish in the sea. 603: Galápagos: Windows into the Future The unique oceanic conditions of the Galápagos Islands serve as a perfect natural laboratory to study how climate change may impact corals in the future. Scientists spend a month in the archipelago to conduct research as part of the Global Reef Expedition. This episode is a co-production with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. 604: Saving Sawfish The strange, prehistoric-looking Smalltooth Sawfish were once coveted by anglers as popular trophy fish. But habitat loss and overfishing have greatly reduced the animals range and landed them on the endangered species list. Today, the fish are limited to South Florida, where scientists are conducting research to save the species. An original production of