Seaspiracy received production support and initial funding by British renewable energy entrepreneur Dale Vince after meeting Cowspiracy director Kip Anderson in 2016. The film suggests the problem of feed for farmed fish as well as the prevalence of disease and coastal degradation make aquaculture untenable. The possibility of fish farming aquaculture is introduced only to be dismissed after a trip to Scotland. Statistics repeatedly buttress the point, including various fish species listed at >90% wild population loss, and the claim that global oceans could be essentially devoid of fish by 2048. That the cessation of fish consumption is the solution to collapsing fish stocks and human exploitation remains a consistent message throughout the film. An investigation into slave conditions on Thai fishing vessels and interviews with survivors proves similarly harrowing. Activities of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society-an American conservation group focused on direct action at sea-feature prominently in the film, including an extended section documenting illegal fishing practices and worker exploitation in Liberian waters. At various moments, Tabrizi and his crew appear to face imminent peril from local authorities or corrupt fishing industry players some of the action is presented through hidden camera techniques, and animation is used to depict scenes of violence. The film's settings are global, including the Taiji fishing port of southern Japan, Thai and Chinese fish markets, coastal West Africa, and the salmon aquaculture farms of Scotland. This concern (as well as the seeming inability of stewardship organizations to define sustainable fishing and dolphin-safe products) informs the film's criticism of the Marine Stewardship Council, the Earth Island Institute and the Plastic Pollution Coalition. A crucial statement is that the focus of environmental groups on comparatively small consumer plastics like straws has obfuscated the much more massive problem of plastic waste from fishing gear as well as the devastation of bycatch. The film centers early on the collapse of whale, shark, dolphin and sea turtle populations. This framing device serves to provide narrative momentum and suspense. Tabrizi acts as both the narrator and protagonist of the film, discovering key pieces of information at the same moment as the viewer.
It argues that commercial fisheries are the main driver of marine ecosystem destruction. įeatured topics include plastic marine debris, ghost nets and overfishing around the world. The film was produced by Kip Andersen, director of the documentary Cowspiracy. The film examines various human impacts on marine life and advocates for ending fish consumption. Seaspiracy ( / s iː ˈ s p ɪ r ə s i/) is a 2021 documentary film about the environmental impact of fishing directed by and starring Ali Tabrizi, a British filmmaker.