What's happening in the and around the world

The fishing and aquaculture industries, scientists and environmental activists have clashed over a controversial documentary that questions whether the seafood industry can ever be called ‘sustainable’

IN the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, film-maker Ali Tabrizi examines the seafood sector’s claims to sustainability and argues that it is fundamentally unsustainable and unethical.

Starting with an examination of the impact of throwaway plastic on sea life, Tabrizi quickly moves on to mount a wide-ranging critique of the fishing industry, from illegal large-scale trawling and modern slavery on board ship to “dolphin safe” tuna fishing and discarded nets contributing to seaborne pollution. He concludes that the only way to protect the oceans is to abandon eating seafood altogether.

Seaspiracy also examines the aquaculture industry as an alternative to wild fishing, and concludes that fish farming itself is highly problematic in terms of sustainability and fish welfare, citing some high profile critics of the salmon farming sector by way of evidence.The film-makers also quote anti-farming activist Don Staniford’s assertion that farmed salmon would be grey if an artificial dye was not added to their feed.

Among the specific criticisms of aquaculture are, first, that it represents “wild fishing in disguise” because more bait fish are caught for fish feed than the amount of farmed fish produced, and also that the level of mortalities is unacceptably high and fish are kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions.

Dr Iain Berrill of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said: “While this film raises some very important issues, the claims made against salmon farming in Scotland are wrong, misleading and inaccurate. As a result, this part of the documentary was simply privileged activism masquerading as investigatory film-making.”

“To take just a few of these exaggerated and emotive claims - salmon farming is not responsible for degrading wild fish stocks for use in feed, lice on our fish are not out of control and claims equating organic waste from salmon farms to human waste are misleading and have been repeatedly debunked. Farmed Scottish salmon swim and shoal freely in high-quality, cool seawater that is constantly being refreshed by tides and currents.

“Aquaculture is a key part of the answer, not the problem, with regards to concerns over wild fish stocks.The United Nations has recognised this fact which is why it supports fish farming as crucial to feeding the world’s growing population, now and in the future.”

The film claims that 50% per cent of salmon are dying “from egg to plate and from hatch to catch” and showed graphic images of dead fish in bins.

In fact, Dr Berrill says, the mortality rate for Scottish salmon in 2020 was 14.5%. He commented: “The salmon farming sector is unique in UK farming for openly publishing monthly data detailing mortality rates and other health challenges. When fish unfortunately do die they are kept in appropriate containers, prior to disposal in full adherence with regulations.

“A single female salmon can produce 10,000 eggs on the very basis that the vast majority will not survive even the earliest stages – and up to 95% of salmon that do make it to sea might not survive long enough to breed. Our farmers have achieved a remarkable survival rate, but of course they’re always investing and innovating in fish health and welfare to increase that survivability.”

On salmon colour, the SSPO points out that the feed provided to farmed fish contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid naturally found in algae and throughout the ocean food chain. This is the substance that gives farmed and wild salmon – and pink flamingos – their distinctive colouring. As an antioxidant, it is beneficial to the immune system for humans as well as fish.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which campaigns for sustainable fishing and certifies fishing operators with the “blue tick” symbol, also disputed the film’s allegation that certification is obtained simply by paying for it.

The MSC said: “Contrary to what the film-makers say, certification is not an easy process, and some fisheries spend many years improving their practices in order to reach our standard. In fact, our analysis shows that the vast majority of fisheries that carry out pre-assessments against our criteria, do not meet these and need to make significant improvements to gain certification.”

The MSC pointed out that, contrary to what was stated in the film, it is funded by charitable donations and by retailers and others licensing the “blue tick”, not by the fishing operators themselves who are audited by independent third parties, not directly by the MSC.