This year the documentary Seaspiracy was released on Netflix. As I watched this film, I was shocked to find out how poorly the oceans are treated. This 1 hour and 30-minute documentary takes a deep dive into the corruption and lack of sustainability present in the commercial fishing industry. It follows the director Ali Tabrizi as he travels around the world to investigate how harmful commercial fishing really is.
Before watching this documentary I thought that plastic straws and cutlery from garbage trucks were all that was polluting the oceans. However, the documentary revealed the real problem is commercial fishing and all of the waste that it creates. Boats will throw their broken nets and fishing line into the ocean, which hurts marine life.
Seaspiracy also sheds light on the alarming decrease in the population of fish and wildlife in the ocean caused by overfishing. It is estimated that there will be no more fish in the oceans by 2050 because of these unsustainable fishing methods. Without fish in the ocean, the earth will be greatly impacted.
In addition to traveling around the globe, Seaspiracy features interviews with organizations that seem to pledge to help the ocean. Although it is revealed that labels on seafood products ensuring fish are caught sustainably are not regulated. Consumers are greenwashed into thinking they are buying something that is better for the planet when it is just a label and there is nothing to back it up. These companies are able to make a profit off of lying to their customers.
This documentary was very powerful and moving and I would recommend that everyone watches Seaspiracy because it helps to spread awareness about corruption and unsustainable fishing policies. Fish do not need to die out, it all starts with one person who brings these issues to light to create change.