Oceans
Our planet’s vast and vibrant oceans are suffering terribly from humanity’s endless demand for “seafood.” A staggering 1.1 to 2.2 trillion wild fish are caught globally each year, with an additional 124 billion farmed fish slaughtered annually. This represents a groundbreaking level of destruction to marine life. Modern industrial fishing practices, particularly bottom trawling, wreak catastrophic havoc. These enormous, weighted nets are dragged across the ocean floor, obliterating ancient ecosystems, crushing coral reefs, and indiscriminately scooping up everything in their path. It’s estimated that bottom trawls kill between 20% and 50% of the invertebrates in their path and have led to the wiping out of entire habitats like oyster reefs. This mechanical devastation, on top of the destruction of billions of individual sentient beings’ lives, leaves behind a barren wasteland where vibrant marine life once thrived.
Beyond the targeted species, the issue of bycatch intensifies the crisis. Trillions of non-target animals – including dolphins, whales, sea turtles, seabirds, and countless fish – are caught accidentally in nets, often thrown back into the ocean dead or dying. This practice has the highest discard rate of all fishing gears, averaging 46% of total annual discards by global fisheries. Meanwhile, industrial salmon farming, promoted as an alternative, continues to ruin both the salmon themselves and their surrounding habitats with unprecedented levels of infection, disease, and pollution. This rampant exploitation of our oceans is leading to a profound ecological collapse. Our coral reefs, vital nurseries and biodiversity hotspots of the sea, are in critical danger; the fourth global coral bleaching event, starting in 2023, has impacted 84% of the world’s reefs, largely due to rising ocean temperatures. This widespread destruction is threatening the very life support system of our planet, as ocean ecosystems generate over 50% of the oxygen we breathe and play a crucial role in regulating global climate.
The cruelty inflicted upon sea animals is often overlooked but no less abhorrent than that endured by land animals. Lobsters, recognised as sentient beings capable of feeling pain and distress, are routinely boiled alive – a practice so cruel it has been banned in countries like Switzerland, Norway, and New Zealand. Eyestalk ablation, the barbaric practice of cutting or crushing the eyestalks of live prawns to induce faster reproduction, is widespread in the prawn farming industry, causing immense suffering to these sensitive creatures. Living vegan means extending our circle of compassion to all animals, including those in the sea. By making the conscious choice to live without using sea animals for food, fashion, or any other purpose, we directly halt this mass slaughter and end these horrific practices.
A global switch to plant-based lifestyles promises the restoration of our oceans to their natural balance. It dramatically reduces the demand that drives destructive fishing and aquaculture, allowing marine populations to recover, coral reefs to regrow, and delicate ecosystems to heal. Innovative plant-based alternatives to fish, including delicious salmon and tuna options, are increasingly available, making this transition easier than ever. Beyond animal agriculture, a truly vegan way of life inherently recognises the interconnectedness of all environmental issues, supporting green energy sources and advocating for an end to the use of fossil fuels to combat wider pollution threats like oil spills. By choosing veganism, we not only stop the unimaginable suffering of trillions of sentient beings but also empower the restoration of our oceans, ensuring a healthier, more vibrant blue planet for generations to come.
