Seaspiracy — A Shallow Documentary of the Deep Waters
by Shruthy Thamara
“Fishing is the greatest threat to Marine Wildlife”
Seaspiracy, the latest of Netflix’s documentaries on the environment, has created a furor across the globe for revealing the conspiracies around the oceans. The documentary sends across a straightforward image- it’s not plastic straws but the fishing nets that are ruining the world’s marine resources. While the documentary has gained a lot of positive reception globally, it has been accused of brazen vegan propaganda. This seemingly simple debate between veganism and non-vegetarianism is actually quite layered and complex, particularly concerning the Indian socio-political economy.
Veganism has become increasingly popular among people looking to be ‘active changemakers’. However, the most interesting feature is how the documentary adopts a very strategic way to promote veganism. When Ali Tabrizi begins the narration — “The oceans will run out of fish by 2048”, the somber voice and red font inserts a sense of urgency in the viewer’s mind. As the plot progresses, he travels across nations spanning from Canada to Thailand to describe the impact of commercial fisheries on marine life across oceans. The movie sticks to the premise of plastic ruining the ocean but places a heavy emphasis on the origins of this plastic- fishing gear.
The documentary is convincing; it states facts very clearly and provides ample visual content to convince the viewer about its message: “70% of the microplastics at sea come from fishing gear”. “Abandoned fishing gear injures or kills over 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals and turtles every year”. “Governments give $35 billion to the fishing industry every year to continue plundering our seas. According to the United Nations, only $30 billion is needed to solve world hunger”. The documentary does an excellent job simplifying the complex scientific jargon associated with fisheries and makes it accessible for around 190 million people worldwide Beyond these compelling statements, the documentary’s solution-oriented approach has garnered so much attention and respect. The website and Instagram handle of the movie outline three simple steps towards saving the ocean: First, shift to a plant-based diet, next, enforce no-catch marine reserves, and lastly end fishing subsidies.
What does this mean? Is the condition of fisheries bad? Undoubtedly so. Fisheries across the globe have been highly intensive and contributed to massive ecological damage. However, the problem with Seaspiracy is not the facts it states, but the ones it chooses not to bring forth. This can be analysed both at an international level and in the context of India’s fishing economy. Fishing must not be understood merely as an occupation or a commercial expedition as it has profound implications rooted in geopolitical dynamics, territorial expansions, and glocal commodity-oriented power.
Firstly, Seaspiracy does not engage with the role of the USA and other European nations in the role of the depletion of marine resources. Prior to the demarcation of Exclusive Economic Zones, it has been North American and European Fleets that have scoured the Asian and African seas for seafood. Australia carries out the world’s largest ranching of Southern BlueFin Tuna, which is a critically endangered species. Furthermore, the largest consumption of seafood can be traced to Oceania followed by Asia, North America and then Africa. However, the narrative of the movie is rather conveniently orientalist with white researchers travelling to China, Taiwan and Japan while ignoring the role of ‘first-world’ nations in the inception of this rampant mechanization. It reduces the role of all Asian and African fishers to that of a heartless criminal or an agency less worker, or worse slave without highlighting the fact that it is American and European fishing corporations that continue to exercise monopoly through supermarket chains and businesses. Whole Foods, ALDI and Target continue to claim to be the most sustainable seafood chains across the globe!
Moving to the Indian context, any engagement with food sources must reflect caste consciousness. Fisheries support a large number of communities, particularly the marginalised in terms of nutrition, income generation, and even gaining of social capital. When one makes a statement to shift towards plant based food, it turns a blind eye towards the lack of access to vegetarian products, let alone vegan products among the poorest of India. Consumption of meat is rooted in historical caste oppression, where the peasants have never had access to the agricultural produce for which they perform intensive, and often inhuman labour. In this setup, it was only natural for the proletariat to look for alternative sources of nutrition which was found through the consumption of meat.
Furthermore, vegan products are highly inaccessible to people, and even if affordable, the supply is highly contingent on geographical location. The current climate in India is also a marker of how dangerous this promotion of anti-seafood consumption could be. Ridiculing the consumption of seafood can lead to rise in puritan vigilance and blaming fisheries as the sole source of oceanic damage nullifies the role of indigenous communities involved in fishing. Tabrizi states- “this film will radically transform the way we think and act on ocean conservation forever”. While it is definitely important to pay immediate attention to the abysmal state of fisheries, one hopes that the saviour complex of the documentary influences us as consumers to radically engage with conservation and sustainability that is guided by the workers’ voices.
