After the release of Seaspiracy, the documentary about the overexploitation of the seas by industrial fishing, many of you have probably stopped consuming fish.
The director Ali Tabrizi's intention is very noble, and we 100% share his concern for the future of ocean life, but the main problem with the documentary lies in the veracity of its sources.
So, not everything Seaspiracy says is correct.
The main point around which the documentary's plot revolves is the assertion that by 2048 there will be no more fish in our oceans.
The misunderstanding stems from a study from 2006 published in Science by biologists Boris Worm, Edward B. Barbier, and Nicola Beaumont, which estimated, based on current trends, that by 2048 there would be no more fish in the ocean, calculating the decline, not the reproductive capacity of stocks. The same scientists corrected their research in 2009, confirming the urgency of regulating ocean exploitation but retracting the catastrophic 2048 data.
The second assertion in Seaspiracy to be questioned is: there is no definition of sustainable fishing.
In reality, it does exist, and especially in Italy, we are very advanced, at a regulatory level, in the regulation of fishing. Once again, we are not saying that everything is fine; we are simply pointing out that there are European and global laws that regulate fishing, but as in all areas, there are realities that evade legality, and it is these that should be condemned, not an entire sector.
Therefore, it is very important to support local fishing cooperatives, prefer purchases from fishmongers or markets over large supermarket chains, always buy fresh fish and not canned, follow the reproductive seasonality of fish, prefer biodiversity, and always adult specimens.
Reducing fish consumption is a very important decision for the health of the sea, but it is equally important to have clear information to make an informed and responsible choice.
We don't like conspiracies; we like the dissemination of clear and transparent culture because it is the only way for a consumption revolution, which is more necessary now than ever.
So yes, you can decide to stop eating fish, but you can also decide to consume less and choose it better.
