Over the Easter weekend I watched Seaspiracy, a powerful Netflix documentary that has made headlines across the world for exposing the harmful environmental impact of industrial fishing, and arguing that the only way to help heal the ocean is to stop eating fish.
The creators of Seaspiracy
Ali Tabrizi is a documentary filmmaker from the UK, that has a deep love for the ocean and passion for environmental issues. Ali is the narrator, director and filmmaker of Seaspiracy.
Lucy Tabrizi is a documentary filmmaker originally from Australia that is passionate about conservation and animal rights. Lucy is the assistant-director and filmmaker of Seaspiracy.
Kip Andersen is an artivist from the US. Kip was the co-producer, co-writer and co-director of the film What the health and he was also the co-producer, co-writer and co-star in the film Cowspiracy : The Sustainability Secret. Kip is the executive producer of Seaspiracy.
About Seaspiracy
In Seaspiracy, Ali tells us that he has always loved the ocean and that he dreamed of documenting it’s beauty. When he discovered that whales where washing up on the shores across the world, with stomachs full of plastic he realised that there was a much darker story that needed to be told.
But Ali’s discovery of plastic pollution in the ocean was just the tip of the iceberg, as he together with his now-wife Lucy, discovered many other ways in which the oceans were being harmed. In this documentary Ali shows us the reality of overfishing which includes various subtopics such as bycatch, sustainability laws, and even modern day slave labour.
Ali shows us the environmental importance of the ocean and the various ways in which we are causing it environmental damage. Ali also uncovers the truth of the shark finning industry, as well as the whale killings in the Faroe Islands, and dolphin killings in Taiji. But ultimately Ali shows us that killing trillions of fish worldwide every year, is just as cruel as killing whales or dolphins, as fish feel pain and fear too.
By the end of Seaspiracy, Ali’s has shown people across the world that the only way to truly help save the ocean, which is vital to humanities survival, is for us all to stop eating fish, as there is no way to know with a 100% certainty if something is sustainably fished or not.
My thoughts
I read a lot, so I had already known most of the things mentioned in Seaspiracy, but there was some things, like the slave labour, which I did not know about. I was glued to the screen from the get go, and I watched it all the way through, even through the parts where animals where harmed, tears and all.
Learning about the reality of what’s happening in the world, with regards to animals, sustainability, pollution and climate change is why in went vegan 10 years ago, and it’s why I continue doing what I can to make a positive difference.
The truth might not always be nice to hear, but I believe we should all know what truly happens in this world, so we can make informed decisions.
I honestly feel that everyone should watch this documentary. And I’m not just saying that as a vegan, I’m saying it as a steward of this earth. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to treat our natural world and the animals that live on it, with respect and to protect it for current and future generations. This is our home, and it’s very clear to me that as a society we have no respect for our planet. We seem to still not have realised that if we don’t make drastic changes to protect our planet, then we will make our home inhabitable. The threat is very real, so I’m very thankful that documentaries like Seaspiracy exist, because awareness is the first step towards change.
For those who think this is a big ConsiraSEA, I recommend that you first watch the documentary and then go do some further research and read as much as you can about the topics covered in Seaspiracy.
How to protect our oceans
According to SeaSpiracy here are some things you can do to protect our oceans.
Step 1. Shift to a plant-based diet. There is a meal planner on www.seaspiracy.org
Step 2. * We must enforce No-catch marine reserves with the short term goal of protecting 30% of our ocean by 2030.
Step 3. * End all fishing subsidies. $35 billion in tax payer funding props up the most destructive industry in our oceans.
Step 4. Watch Seaspiracy on Netflix, follow @Seaspiracy on Instagram, share this post. and join the movement at www.seaspiracy.org
*In order to do point 2 & 3 we must urge our local governments to protect our oceans.
More ways to help:
Share what you have learned from watching Seaspiracy with friends and family. Talk about it, debate it, create as much awareness as you can.
If you are already vegan or plant-based, show your friends and family the plant-based seafood alternatives you enjoy and be sure to share them online as well. Familiar foods make diet transitions easier.
Follow @seashephard & @dolphin_project on Instagram and share their posts to spread further awareness. Donate to these amazing organisations if you can.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my post about Seaspiracy. If you’d like to see what other films I recommend watching, have a look here. If you have decided to stop eating fish and desperately need some vegan recipe inspiration, have a look here.
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