Greenpeace (an organisation with no vegetarian agenda at all) posted a video a few days ago depicting the whistleblowing of an ex-helicopter pilot working for a fishing company.
His footage of the bycatch with the use of Fish Aggregation Devices is very disturbing in my mind for two reasons.
1. The inherent suffering that these animals experience while they die.
2. The habitat and environmental destruction associated with fishing practices such as using FADs line fishing and trawling is truly alarming.
If one calls oneself an environmentalist, consumption of ANY fish really should be off the menu. There are lots of lists out there telling us which fish and seafood we should avoid and which fish we should eat but is that enough? If I choose one species over another, sure, the endangered one gets a chance, but what about the bycatch that inevitabley is caught with the ethical choice.
Here’s an idea. Let’s not eat fish or seafood. Let’s just take it out of our diet. There are so many other fantastic reasons to do so.
Fish is often touted as a healthy meat. I disagree with this assertion very strongly. Yes. Fish does contain those really important Omega 3 Fatty Acids which are vital for good health, however, fish is not our only choice for getting these fatty Acids. Just a tablespoon of ground flaxseed per day gives us all the Omega 3 Fatty acids we need. The same with walnuts. You only need 8 walnut halves and how much easier is to eat walnuts than prepare fish? The fact is fish contains cholesterol as well as a a build up of toxins and mercury in its flesh which we in turn consume to the point that it is actually advised that children under 12 and pregnant woman should not consume certain species.
Let’s do our bodies and our marine ecosystems a favour. Let’s choose falafel over fish and seitan over seafood.
Brighde's Vegan Kitchen 