I watched the Netflix documentary called Seaspiracy with great interest. Seaspiracy's conclusions fundamentally appear to be consistent with those reached and 'rambled' about last year (Aquaculture Feeding the World). The conflicts of interest and indicators of corruption, are similar to those previously identified in Canada. The alleged involvement of leading 'conservation groups' would make a complete mockery of 'sustainable' quality food markings on the packaging of fish on supermarket shelves today.
No matter how it is sugar coated, large scale extraction of wildlife of any sort is not sustainable. Token strategies, such as the creation of marine protected areas that still allow fishing, appears to be appeasement nonsense. Industrial high tech fishing techniques and man's greed is driving critical marine species towards extinction in an accelerating spiral of doom.
If, as claimed, the world's ocean systems provide the biggest carbon sink on the planet by retaining about 93% of worlds carbon, then if we are truly serious about reducing carbon, what remains must be protected and nurtured. All levels of the food chain are interconnected and it will be too late if we wait until there is a total collapse of the oceanic ecosystem. As it says in the documentary 'if the dolphins and whales die, the ocean dies and if the ocean dies, we die'.
Ebola and possibly the Covid-19 virus were the result of mans 'tinkering' with wildlife. The risk of bioaccumulation and human food chain contamination by dioxins, PCB's, industrial heavy metals, plastics, mercury and associated pathogens in seafood must be very real. For now this risk appears not to be recognised, understood or is simply being ignored (this is indicative of 'won't happen on my watch' behaviour).
I understand the argument, but cannot agree that the answer is to simply stop eating fish. We need protein to feed the human race but we must find ways of doing it right without endangering the balance of the natural world. We need internationally recognised, enforceable, appropriate laws and the ability to gather evidence to prosecute those that break them. The technology is available but we need the will and wherewithal to apply it. Remote surveillance is possible using force multiplying technologies like modern satellite reconnaissance systems, airborne surveillance and vessel tracking.
Its important that malpractice and poor regulatory regimes are not imported into aquaculture projects in Africa where they would threaten wild fish in lakes and rivers upon which livelihoods and community food security depend. Fishing is a multi billion dollar global industry. Where there is 'big money', it is easy to create lots of 'noise' to discredit NGO's, Researchers, Academics, Documentary Directors and carry political support. It seemed to happen in Canada and it appears to be already happening again here. There is a saying, 'where there is smoke, there is fire'. Perhaps the issue here is that where there is a smoke screen, something sinister lies behind. It appears something is not right and merits urgent credible independent investigation and action.
The challenge is mind boggling! Who has the balls and pockets deep enough to 'grasp this nettle'?
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