Amanda Leland and James Workman
Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions
Amanda is a Marine Biologist and Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund. James is a Water Resilience Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur.
Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA
BOOK COVER
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: September 23, 2025
Genre: Science/Environment
Publisher: Torrey House Press
Page Count: 336
Format: Hardcover, Paperback
ISBN: 979-8890920409 (HC), 9798890920287 (PB)
Price: $32.00 (HC), $21.95 (PB)
ABOUT THE BOOK
For decades, overfishing seemed an inevitable tragedy. Fish stocks were collapsing, coastal economies were failing, and policymakers were trapped in a cycle of ineffective bans and short-term fixes. Ocean decline felt like yet another chapter in the global tale of environmental doom.
Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions is the captivating, deeply human tale of what happened instead, not just at a policy level, but in the lives of the very people on the front lines of this crisis. One of them was Buddy Guindon, a Texas Gulf Coast fisherman who lived through collapse, fought against the changes meant to fix it, and ultimately became one of its most vocal champions.
Exploring a victory 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, demonstrating 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.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Amanda Leland is the Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund, where she drives bold solutions across clean energy, resilient communities, and ocean conservation. Leland previously led EDF’s Oceans program, a global team in 14 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, DC.
James G. Workman is a storyteller whose work with hunter-gatherers has sparked new thinking about how we replenish the wild. Drawing from indigenous resilience strategies, he wrote the award-winning book Heart of Dryness, and founded the water credit trading firm AquaShares. Workman studied at Yale and Oxford and taught at Wesleyan & Whitman colleges, but his real education came from blowing up dams, releasing wolves, restoring wildland fires, guiding safaris, smuggling water to dissidents, breaking down in Africa’s Kalahari Desert, and becoming a husband and dad (not ranked in that order).
TIMELY TIE-INS
June
- World Oceans Day – 8
September
- National Estuaries Week – 21-28
- Climate Week NYC – 21-28
- Fish Amnesty Day – 27
- National Hunting and Fishing Day – 27
October
- National Seafood Month
- National Book Month
- Climate Action Day – 24
- World Sustainability Day – 29
November
- World Fisheries Day – 21
PRAISE
“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, Environmentalist and author, The End of Nature
“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, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, 1993-2001
“Yes—finally, some good news! Fishermen and environmentalists, often at odds, are finding common ground to improve the ocean’s health and the livelihoods 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
“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
“An antidote to environmental gloom and a fair, deeply informed, and fun read.”
–Tina Rosenberg, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner
“Sea Change documents the remarkable recovery of perilously depleted fish stocks through smart incentives. In this fascinating read, commercial fishermen and environmental scientists overcome mutual distrust to align around rights-based solutions and bring about a reversal in fortune of our most important source of protein. For those who study turnarounds—in markets or policies–this one is worth your time.”
–Stan Druckenmiller, investor, Duquesne Capital
“Finally, an engaging American environmental success story that details what happens when we get things right! If you’ve never heard of catch shares, you’ll be amazed to discover that we can restore our oceans to abundance while increasing seafood to eat, reducing waste and helping fishermen thrive. Sea Change is the win-win story we need right now.”
–Kathryn Murdoch, executive producer of PBS’s A Brief History of the Future
“Sea Change tells us the greatest environmental success story that no one’s ever heard of.”
–Eric Pooley, Author, The Climate War
“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 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
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Genre: Memoir / Christian Inspirational
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Count: 304
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1647429003
Price: $15.99