WELCOME SEASPIRACY!
Salvador Meza
Editor and Publisher at Aquaculture Magazine and Panorama Acuicola Magazine
For those dedicated to fishing and aquaculture, the first thing we should ask ourselves after watching the NETFLIX documentary "SEASPIRACY" is: how we got into this chaos?
Because the truth is:
- Yes, there is overfishing
- Yes, there are commercial interests behind some certifiers.
- Yes, there are commercial interests behind some NGOs.
- Yes, there is some level of slavery or forced labor in fishing and the process of fish and aquaculture products.
- Yes, aquaculture farms have deforested mangroves.
- Yes, there is excessive use of antibiotics in aquaculture.
- Yes, there is a substitution of fish and shellfish in the market.
- People in many places buy fish and shellfish with a net weight less than they think it is.
No person who is dedicated to fishing or aquaculture in the world can deny these truths.
This documentary has to come that shows us what people outside these industries see when they lookout, and that we no longer see.
Efforts have been made to seek the sustainability of fishing and aquaculture, and there are honest certifiers and NGOs that seek and support that sustainability, but it has not been enough, and it will not be enough for the time we have left.
In the end, it is a problem that falls on the attitude and action of each person involved in the issue, but since it is impossible to get into people's minds and change them just like that, the problem then falls on the governance of each State, which has to issue the appropriate laws to compel all these people to comply.
But the State does not have the support of civil society to confront the inertia of economic, legal, and non-legal interests behind this whole story.
For this reason, regardless of the particular interests and inaccuracies that may Seaspiracy have, I welcome its accomplishment. I am glad that civil society's interest, especially young people, is awakened to get involved in fish and shellfish production.
They need to take action on the matter, and they need to demand their governments to carry out genuinely sustainable management of these resources, with scientifically and technically trained personnel, and with the adequate budget to carry out successful management with tangible results.
Hopefully, behind Seaspiracy, many more documentaries will come, and more, until the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture is a reality, not just a marketing statement.
Salvador Meza. Editor&Publisher. Aquaculture Magazine and Panorama Acuícola Magazine.
CEO at Point 3 Biotech Corp
3yMany solutions through microbial conversion. Will be interesting to see this emerging industry grow and expand.
Vannamei shrimp aquaculture industry pioneer. Subject matter expert. Global consultant - vertical integrations, semi-intensive to super-intensive (RAS), value chain, processing, markets, futures. Innovation & technology.
3y....has not accomplished anything to date.... ...just re-highlighted fishing issues that have been known about for a while - like decades ago. Nothing been done by governments and large industries with large lobby groups and all being in cahoots to get cheap seafood - food security for their citizens - full belly on cheap protein food quells unrest. Its a policy and thus political. Can see why young people blame older generation for trashing Ocean environment. Action should have been taken long ago - it should not be up to civil society to force. Why is it a "they"? Us and them mentality does not help. This subsidized fishing industry has had it too easy...for too long. They need to be responsible or shut down by consumers (use your wallet- dont buy) I do blame the greedy, exploitive fishing industry, the blind subsidies and the fact that the oceans are effectively no-mans land - like out of sight out of mind.
Extension Aquaculture Specialist at University of California, Davis
3yI’m in agreement. Sure, lots of inaccuracies and falsehoods. Sensationalism Fersure. Eating seafood from fisheries and from aquaculture is not going away. If this has people pause and wonder how their food is sourced and with their pocketbooks they demand change.... I’m all for it!
Aquaculture
3yI agree with you, many questions were brought forth with that documentary