The Truth about Fish Farms

by Amy P Wilson

Claims that farmed fish are a sustainable and ethical source of protein are fantasy, warns Amy P. Wilson on website “Wicked Leeks”.

Amy P. Wilson, a doctoral candidate and research associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She is also an attorney and the first South African to graduate with a Master’s degree in Animal Law.

Let’s cut to the chase here: aquaculture is not a “sustainable” or “ethical” solution to food insecurity, nor is it an “alternative” to terrestrial animal factory farming or to wild-caught fishing.

In fact, these ‘farming’ systems perpetuate some of the worst harms – towards animals, humans, and the environment. And it’s time to unhook ourselves from these misleading claims and our own problematic perceptions. Better yet – to restrict and regulate it, before it’s too late.

For some time now, governments across the world have been pushing for the harvesting and farming of aquatic beings, with the “Blue Economy” punted as the ‘catch of the day’. The rationale? Food security, economic benefits, employment, trade… But what if we’re opening Pandora’s box to release myriad potentially irreversible impacts?

Fast (fish) food

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic species (plant and animal), is the fastest growing food production sector in the world, having recently surpassed wild-caught fishing. In 2022, global production was at an all-time record high of 130.9 million tonnes. If it is difficult for you to understand what that means in practical terms, you are not alone. 

Much like their counterparts on land, aquacultural animals are not treated “humanely” and are subjected to extremely cruel and harmful practices, meaning various animal welfare issues arise: mutilations, overcrowding, in-fighting, injuries, diseases, parasites, stress, depression, deformities, suffocation, food withdrawal, lack of enrichment, harmful transportation or cruel slaughter – it’s no fun to be a farmed fish. . 

To many, the idea of caring about, or mitigating suffering for aquatic beings is laughable. While many care about their pet dog – or even African elephants in the Savanna – we rarely extend this consideration to aquatic beings (except for perhaps whales, dolphins, and polar bears). 

This is why World Aquatic Animal Day was created to make these issues more visible. Indeed, if we don’t grasp these biases, they’ll be further perpetuated through AI – an increasingly common tool used in aquaculture. 

Sentience and sentiment

Furthermore, aquatic animals are systematically excluded from legal protections. In the US Animal Welfare Act, cold-blooded and farmed animals are excluded, meaning aquaculture animals are firmly outside the protection remit. Even if you don’t connect with the animals impacted there are other reasons not to support aquaculture. 

From an environmental perspective: it causes (water) pollution; release of antibiotics, pesticides and greenhouse gases; habitat loss and destruction; negatively impacts on ecosystems, wildlife (including threatened and endangered species) and biodiversity, (through escapements, invasions, diseases, inter-breeding and otherwise); is extremely resource intensive, and has various other environmental harms. 

If you’re still not convinced, there are potential human health harms to take into account (due to the use of antibiotics, and rise of antimicrobial resistance, contamination, toxicity, microplastics, mercury and rising allergies). Aquaculture is also an extremely high risk job causing many diseases and injuries, and linked with another extremely dangerous job – fishing (not to mention the human rights abuses).

Despite this, there are growing calls to de-regulate the industry in the USA and delegate protections in South Africa. When we should be trying to more strictly regulate the harms and look at this issue from all perspectives. 

But there is some hope – thanks to the tireless work of advocates, push back is happening. Several US states have pre-emptively banned octopus farming, with a federal bill in the works, and states including Washington have prohibited commercial finfish net pen aquaculture.

Footnote: For full article see  https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/opinion/wl-op-ed–hook-line-sinker-the-real-truth-about-farmed-fish/