Sea Change

by Amanda Leland and James Workman

Buddy spent his life chasing fish, building a business, and outcompeting everyone else on the water—until the very industry he depended on was pushed to the brink. Red snapper, once abundant, had all but disappeared. Regulations tightened, fishermen fought back, and the way of life Buddy had built seemed doomed. He had every reason to resist change—until he saw firsthand that the old way was leading to ruin. When the industry he loved hit rock bottom, he made a choice that would not only save his own livelihood, but transform an entire system. 

That fisherman’s journey—from defiance to understanding to advocacy—isn’t just his story. It’s the story of hundreds of millions of people around the world who rely on the ocean for their survival. It’s proof that when given the right incentives and a stake in the future, those who harvest natural resources can become their fiercest defenders. 

And here’s the bigger story: this revolution isn’t over—it’s spreading. The same principles that turned Buddy from an overfisher into a steward of the sea are now being adapted across Latin America, Europe, and even in countries like Indonesia and Namibia. This is about more than fish—it’s about rethinking how we manage our shared natural resources, from forests to groundwater to the climate. 

At a time when climate action feels paralyzed, political polarization seems insurmountable, and every environmental headline signals catastrophe, Sea Change is a radically different kind of story. It proves that solutions exist, that they work, and that they are replicating in real time. This isn’t just about restoring oceanic resilience — it’s about rebuilding trust, livelihoods, and a model for solving some of the world’s biggest challenges.