Dwindling Fish Populations Don’t Stop People From Eating More Fish

According to the latest State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), people are eating more farmed fish, but wild fish are still at risk.

Covered by Yahoo news, the report shows global per capita fish consumption is now more than 44 pounds per year, an all-time high, accounting for close to 7 percent of worldwide protein intake. However, even as people move away from wild-caught fish in favor of factory-farmed fish, wild fish populations continue to be overexploited.

An FAO statement explains:
[D]espite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world’s marine resources has not improved, the latest edition of the UN agency’s The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) says that almost a third of commercial fish stocks are now fished at biologically unsustainable levels, triple the level of 1974.
In the Mediterranean and Black seas, overfishing has reached “alarming proportions, with 59 percent of stocks fished at unsustainable levels.

As if killing our oceans weren’t disturbing enough, fish raised on factory farms are confined to filthy, crowded tanks. Many suffer from severe depression. These fish, known as “dropouts, often float lifelessly.

In addition to inhumane conditions, farmed fish face the same cruel fate as their wild counterparts. As a Mercy For Animals undercover investigation exposed, fish flail around trying to avoid knives as they’re skinned alive by workers.

Watch.


You can help protect our oceans and all aquatic animals by switching to a compassionate vegan diet.

Check out Gardein’s fishless filet and crabless cakes and other amazing vegan seafood available nationwide. Click here for compassionate sea-inspired recipes.

For more information on transitioning to a kind vegan diet, visit ChooseVeg.com.