There is Something Seaspiracy Forgot to Mention
Seaspiracy climbed into Netflix’s Top 10 in dozens of countries and attracted global attention from journalists, activists, and scientists within only a few days.
The documentary does a phenomenal job of highlighting the ethical and environmental impacts our actions have on the ocean and all its inhabitants. Seaspiracy educates us about the war on the ocean, the horrors of industrial fishing, slave labor, and the likelihood of an imminent climate collapse. We also learn about the shocking inaction of environmental groups that are supposed to be saving the ocean. Many of us don’t realize that the fishing industry is truly one of the most destructive and reckless businesses in the world: we remove 80 million metric tonnes of sea life from the ocean every single year - that is equal to the entire human weight of China. Seaspiracy didn’t only encourage millions of viewers to reconsider their consumption of fish and other animals, but it also inspired businesses such as Hong Kong-based Slowood to announce that they will stop selling fish for good. This film is an absolute must-see.
But there are two things Seaspiracy forgot to mention.
Industrial Fishing is a Global Issue
A large section of the film is dedicated to fishing practices in Asia, especially Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. But we must not forget that industrial fishing is a global issue - not just an Asian one. China ranks first with 12.05 million metric tonnes, Russia second with 7.24 million metric tonnes, Peru third with 6.70 million metric tonnes, and the US ranks fourth with 4.91 million tonnes of captured fish. When it comes to consumption per capita, Iceland ranks first, the Maldives second, Kiribati third. This problem is not specific to Asia; Norway kills more whales than Japan and Iceland combined. Sadly, the US ranks first in recreational fishing. This is crucial because there is certainly something we can do about this issue no matter where we are. Most countries are complicit in fish capture and most countries sell fish as food. We don’t need to asianize the problem and ignore the slaughter and abuse of fish in our own region.
Everyone has a part to play, Asians included
While the movie focuses mainly on the fishing industry in Asia, we don’t get to meet the Asian activists, scientists, grassroots organizations, and communities that have been fighting against those fishing practices for many years. In fact, the vast majority of advocates featured in the film are white and male, with close to no representation of the numerous local environmental organizations, and Asian and BIPOC activists. The perpetrators of the fishing industry we see in the documentary, however, are primarily Asian and indigenous. Without the colonial and imperialist history, geopolitical context, and voices of the local activists in the region, it becomes fairly likely that Asians will be perceived as a stereotypical and homogenous group of villains, while white and male protagonists will appear to be the only concerned voices for the ocean. This is particularly critical at a time when anti-Asian hate crimes are skyrocketing since the Covid-19 outbreak. In reality, there is an abundance of Asian animal rights and vegan advocates whose opinions and regional understandings would have added much value to the documentary. Effectively saving the ocean from human interference will require diverse perspectives, regional experience, and collaborative action.
The ocean is a vast universe that is home to an almost infinite number of animals. Destroying their lives and their habitat will inevitably destroy us. Business-as-usual is no longer an option: support local initiatives against fishing, stop consuming sea life, and target policies and regulations that allow corporations to kill and murder the wonderful citizens of the seas. In the meantime, we must support each other, amplify marginalized voices and diversify our movement; only then can we reach our full potential as a movement for the liberation of all sentient beings.
Ayse Deniz Kavur