NONFICTION | AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 2025
SEA CHANGE:
Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions
by JAMES WORKMAN and AMANDA LELAND
"Sea Change is both an antidote to environmental gloom and a fair, deeply informed, and fun read."
—TINA ROSENBERG, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner
Sea Change is the captivating, deeply-human tale of how fishermen—along with some unlikely allies—helped carry out the biggest conservation success story you've never heard of.
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Exploring a win for the world's most vital ecosystem, Sea Change tells the story of unlikely partnerships and surprising solutions that are quietly revolutionizing the fishing industry. Like other ocean areas, the Gulf Coast fisheries were being fished out to the detriment of wildlife and the people whose livelihoods and communities hinge on sea catch. Fisherman Keith “Buddy” Guindon had followed every suggested policy and practice to no avail, until he—along with scientists, government agencies, and environmental groups—helped lead real change that is preventing overfishing and securing resource longevity. Sea Change demonstrates that success is possible, that the time is now, and the methods are here to conserve our natural world and the people who depend on it.
Hardcover ISBN: 9798890920409 | $32 | 364 pp | Trim: 6 x 9” | Paperback ISBN: 9798890920287 | $21.95 | Trim: 5.25 x 8” | September 2025
“Yes—finally, some good news! Fishermen and environmentalists, often aggressively at cross purposes, are finding common ground to improve the ocean's health and the livelihood of those working at sea. An uplifting read that will leave you hopeful about people, our planet, and the power of working together.”
—CAROLEE HAZARD, Kepler’s Bookstore
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
JAMES WORKMAN began his career as a journalist in Washington, D.C., for The New Republic, Washington Monthly, Utne Reader, Orion, and other publications. He helped edit and launch the report of the World Commission on Dams, and spent two years filing monthly dispatches on water scarcity in Africa, work which formed the basis of a National Public Radio show and documentary. He is now a water consultant to policy makers, businesses, aid agencies, development institutions, and conservation organizations on four continents. He lives with his wife and children in San Francisco, California.
AMANDA LELAND is the Executive Director of the Environmental Defense Fund, where she leads the organization's global mission of ensuring a viable Earth for everyone. Leland previously led EDF’s Oceans program, a global team in fourteen countries focused on reversing overfishing while improving human wellbeing. She holds a master’s degree in marine biology from University of Maine and lives in Washington, D.C.
PRAISE FOR SEA CHANGE
“Sea Change is the game-changer we didn’t know we needed—an eye-opening, exhilarating story of how bold, pragmatic solutions can revive our oceans and redefine the future of wild seafood. This book will shape not only what you order off the menu or at the market, but also how you think about the very source of the most nutritious, sustainable protein on the planet.”
—RICK MOONEN, James Beard Award winner
“Workman and Leland show us what’s possible when seemingly irreconcilable opponents find common ground and work together on a solution that benefits everyone. The lessons in this book are valuable not only for ocean conservation but for any aspect of life that requires breaking down barriers between people.”
—DR. ENRIC SALA, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas
“Sea Change reveals one of the great environmental turnarounds of our time. Through rigorous research and compelling storytelling, Leland and Workman document how communities, scientists, and policymakers are finding common cause in developing economic incentives to restore our fisheries. This book is much more than a history—it’s an exciting roadmap into the future and essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of our oceans.”
—BRUCE BABBITT, US Secretary of the Interior 1993-2001
“As the brother of a Maine lobsterman, I’ve always been interested in how we manage the ocean to prevent the collapse of fisheries. Leland and Workman make a convincing case that empowering fishermen to work together, even as they compete, can create miracles.”
—BILL MCKIBBEN, The End of Nature
“Sea Change is a masterclass in how food system resilience is achieved at sea, where rights-based solutions have successfully turned around once-declining wild fisheries. Workman and Leland remind us that every meal has a story—and that we can make choices now that replenish, rather than deplete, the oceans we depend on.”
—ERIC KESSLER, James Beard Foundation Trustee Emeritus and Food System Investor
“The fight against climate change isn’t about one silver bullet—it’s about a bundle of solutions, woven together by those willing to get their hands wet. Workman and Leland remind us that we need fishers, farmers, scientists, policymakers, and innovators all working together to build a future where both people and the planet thrive.”
—BREN SMITH, Co-Executive Director of GreenWave and Owner of Thimble Island Ocean Farm
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