Seaspiracy: The Dangers of Industrial Fishing
- Lena Tieu
- May 23, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: May 22
Seaspiracy is a 2021 Netflix documentary filmed and directed by Ali Tabrizi, who had initially set out to capture the beauty of the ocean but instead ended up discovering a dark side to fishing. “We are at war with the oceans. And if we win this war, we’re going to lose it all because mankind is not able to live on this planet with a dead sea.”
Seaspiracy explores the dangers of industrial fishing and the detrimental impact that it has on our environment. The fishing industry is the most destructive industry in our oceans. To put things into perspective, fishing has wiped out 90% of the world’s large fish, and fishing kills up to 30,000 sharks every hour. Fishing nets and gear produce a much larger amount of waste and pollution in our oceans compared to plastic straws and bags. According to the World Wildlife Fund, entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause for the deaths of whales and dolphins every year.
What can you do to save the ocean?
Shop using Pill Clarity's e-shop - we verify all products are animal-free!
Sign Pill Clarity’s petition to encourage the use of plant-based ingredients in medications.
Enforce no-catch marine reserves to protect at least 30% of our oceans by 2030 by signing Seaspiracy’s petition.
Why should you care?
According to Seaspiracy, if industrial fishing continues at its current pace, the oceans could be empty of fish by 2048.
The ocean is key in regulating climate change by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Shifting to a plant-based diet is not only beneficial for the environment, but it is also beneficial for your health. You won’t be ingesting harmful compounds from fish, such as mercury, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, and etc.
What marine ingredients can be replaced with animal-free alternatives?
Omega-3 fatty acids
In Seaspiracy, Dr. Michael Klaper advocates for the use of omega-3 algae oil. A common belief is that fish is the best source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. But, fish don’t make omega-3 fatty acids; algae make omega-3 fats and fish swallow the algae cells. Instead of consuming fish-based omega-3 fatty acids, we recommend Algae Omega. Algae Omega provides a sustainable, vegan source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Shark squalene
Shark squalene is made of oil from shark liver and is occasionally used in vaccine adjuvants. Shark squalene can be replaced with non-animal squalene produced from yeast, bacteria, sugarcane, olive oil, and algae.
Horseshoe crab blood
Horseshoe crab blood contains cells that are able to detect toxic bacteria and clot around them. These cells have been used to develop a test called Limus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) to effectively test vaccines for any signs of contamination, which has been especially useful for the development of COVID-19 vaccines. Research is currently being done to replace the LAL assay with an animal-free alternative called the recombinant factor C (rFC) assay.
We exist to help you find animal-free products. When you shop using Pill Clarity's e-shop you can be sure that we have verified that all ingredients (active and inactive) are animal-free.
By shopping "animal-free" you are doing your part to promote a greener world! Thank you!
Resources
Seaspiracy. https://www.seaspiracy.org/ Accessed May 15, 2021.
Rapid worldwide depletion of fishing. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature01610 Published May 15, 2003. Accessed May 15, 2021.
Global catches, exploitation rates, and rebuilding options for sharks. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308597X13000055 Published July 1, 2013. Accessed May 15, 2021.
Catching fish, not flukes and flippers: A global effort to reduce whale and dolphin bycatch. https://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/cetaceans/threats/bycatch/?#:~:text=Entanglement%20in%20fishing%20gear%20is,least%20300%2C000%20deaths%20per%20year. Accessed May 15, 2021.
Report: Horseshoe crabs and the pharmaceutical industry - challenges and alternatives. Euro Group for Animals. https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/report-horseshoe-crabs-and-pharmaceutical-industry-challenges-and-alternatives-0 Published August 17, 2020. Accessed May 15, 2021.
Disclaimer: The product and/or information provided on Pill Clarity is of a general nature and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not lab test the products to confirm that they are free from animal ingredients, and it is possible that the formulation and ingredients could have changed. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or product. The information provided in this post is accurate and up to date as of the date it was written. However, please note that circumstances and facts may change over time, and new information may become available that could alter the accuracy or relevance of the content. We encourage readers to verify and cross-reference any information provided here with trusted sources or consult relevant professionals for the most current and accurate updates.
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