By Karla Cloete
Edited by Imaan Moosa
We sat down with Kirtanya Lutchminarayan, a marine biologist and conservation officer, to get her thoughts on the new Netflix documentary that’s shaken up ocean environmentalists and couch surfers alike.
Poster of the Netflix documentary 'Seaspiracy'. Source: Provided.
If you haven't watched the documentary yet, you must have seen the hype online: Seaspiracy, the guerilla documentary that ignited environmental outrage, controversy and sparked debates about the fishing industry.
The film by Ali Tabrizi, a British filmmaker, came out in March 2021 and immediately caught the public’s imagination with its shocking depictions of the destruction of ocean life and its even more shocking claims about the fishing industry.
The premise for those who missed it: Seaspiracy showcases footage of environmental atrocities, such as dolphins and whales being killed, reefs destroyed and human rights violations, or modern-day slavery in Thailand.
It also touts the claim that this industry is the driving force behind the devastation of marine ecosystems and that sustainable fishing doesn't exist. The film claims that conservation organizations that promote sustainable fishing cannot be trusted and it is better for consumers to abstain from seafood altogether.
The documentary drew both equal parts praise and critique.
'Seaspiracy’ does present some pieces of reporting — including an inquiry into dolphin-safe tuna can labels — that are surprising and memorable. But even the film’s notable points seem to emerge only briefly before sinking beneath the surface, lost in a sea of murky conspiratorial thinking.
The conspiracy here is that many conservation agencies cannot be trusted as they are funded by the fishing industry.
Others praised the film for calling attention to the dangers of the fishing industry, which is a polluter that places a significant impact on climate change and is often ignored in broader discussions about such issues.
For example, as a global community, we have been banning plastic straws but the largest polluter of the ocean is fishing nets. Seaspiracy, although maybe too sensational and conspiratorial in some aspects, definitely started some important conversations.
A Good Catch: Ethics of Sustainable Fishing
We asked Kirtanya Lutchminarayan*, a Conservation Project Officer at WWF South Africa, about her personal views on the documentary.
Lutchminarayan is a 29-year-old marine biologist who works as a Project Officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI).
She has also worked with organizations such as Student Energy Canada, World Student Environmental Network, Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, UCT Green Campus Initiative, Green Shift Africa, AIESEC exchange program, United Nations and Greenpop.
She felt that the documentary didn't represent South Africa in the best light, as it failed to move out of a global North perspective and to include minorities in the narrative.
She said that some scenes were necessary, such as information on bycatch, as well as the lack of context provided on pollution statistics, which she said were grossly over generalized.
In her view, pollution was incorrectly extrapolated to the ocean as a whole, which meant that the documentary relied heavily on shock factors, including doomsday predictions of empty oceans.
Like Tabrizi pointed out, Lutchminaray agrees that sustainable fishing is possible. However, according to her, abstaining from seafood isn’t the only option:
It is indeed a solution that many can opt for if they choose to eat seafood. Scientific trends show that fish stocks can recover and replenish if they are managed carefully for the long-term and if habitat degradation is halted. There are many examples of this.
There are practices that can minimise bycatch, protect critical habitats and educate consumers about the choices they make. I do believe that reducing animal protein and a plant-based diet is a solution, for those who can!
Kirtyana Lutchminarayan doing what she loves. Source: Provided.
She advocates for opting out of meat and seafood to help stabilize the climate and protect oceans. Lutchminarayan also recognizes that a plant-based lifestyle isn’t an option for everyone, especially for coastal communities who rely on fish as their main source of food and income, as well as those in poverty.
The documentary left audiences wondering if they can trust seafood labels or conservation organizations at all. Lutchminaray recommends the following for those who don’t want to give up their love of sushi:
With the voluntary, science-based consumer awareness campaign, SASSI asks the three questions about your seafood:
What species is it?
How was it caught/farmed?
Where is it from?
Then consult with the SASSI list or app to see whether it is green-listed (best choice), orange-listed (think twice), or red (don’t buy).
SASSI quick reference guide to make environmentally responsible seafood choices. Source: SASSI.
Be sure to read labels and ask questions so you don’t fall for greenwashing i.e. when claims are made to sound eco-conscious, but are really not the case!
Most importantly she advises consumers to avoid red-listed seafood. If you don’t want to give up your seafood feasts, try to avoid species like prawns which have the highest impact on the ocean as trawling is incredibly destructive and the bycatch is massive.
Reeling in Healthy Habits
If you watched Seaspiracy and it inspired you to protect our oceans or if you care about marine life in general, Lutchminaray has some advice on how you can help.
Apart from eating a plant-based diet and avoiding food waste, Lutchminaray also tries to eat locally and seasonally in order to lower her carbon footprint. Transportation of food can often lead to increased carbon emissions. She doesn't own a car, carpools where she can, or uses public transport.
Lutchminarayan also tries to use natural and cruelty-free products. One creative way she reduces her plastic use? Being careful what she gifts and wraps her presents in!
Small actions make a big difference. Every action matters. Our oceans need us, but more importantly, we need our oceans to survive – every third breath is thanks to the oxygen the ocean provides. We are dependent on our planet, so it is also in our best interest to start treading lightly.
More ways you can help?
Keep reusable bags for groceries in your car. Use your own reusable water bottle, straws, and utensils rather than disposable ones when you get takeaways.
Reduce takeaways to decrease the number of single-use plastics you use and rather cook at home. Invest in beeswax wraps rather than cling wrap for food storage.
We need individuals to take action, but also we need large-scale policy action from lawmakers and buy-ins from larger corporations to address the problem adequately.
In the meantime, small, sustainable choices and creating awareness is the mandate for anyone concerned about the environment and ocean conservation.
Lutchminaray chalks this up to effective behavioral change: we are all worried but we aren’t all translating these worries into meaningful action.
On an individual level, [behavioural change is] when intention aligns with action. So often we may be aware of the problems yet we do not act on them. The intention may be there but one may not know what to do. Behaviour change is about knowing better and then doing better! Be the change you want to see in the world, however small or seemingly insignificant.
Kirtyana Lutchminarayan at a WWF event. Source: Provided.
You can inspire another by taking a stand and making the world a better place. When this is done by individuals, companies, leadership, cities, government, and everything in between, we then have a society that cares and is united in addressing challenges. Whoever you are, with whatever you have, can make a change that creates ripple effects.
Lutchminaray recommends the following organizations for those looking to support someone trustworthy in the fight to protect our oceans:
If you haven’t watched Netflix’s Seaspiracy yet, be sure to add it to your binge-list but keep in mind that it, like any documentary, presents one perspective.
Whether or not it inspires you to give up fish or not, we hope that at the very least this article will motivate you to start making small changes to becoming more sustainable.
*Kirtyana Lutchminarayan spoke to us as a private individual and although she works for many organizations, she is not representing them in this article. All views expressed in this article are her own personal ideas.
Follow and support Kirtanya:
Facebook: Kirtanya Lutch
Instagram: Kirtanya_
Linkedin: Kirtyana Lutchminaray
Be sure to check out Kirtyana’s posts on SASSI’s page to keep learning.
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