Dysfunctional Planner

I started watching cowspiracy and I couldn’t stomach it. I found it too heavy handed. Simple solutions that don’t actually help the farming industry.

I eat meat.

I have cut down due the environmental impact but I still eat meat.

When I was little my dad used to take us to the farm markets to see the cattle and sheep and then we would go home and he would cook a big roast of what ever animal we saw. My father believed you should understand where food came from. He picked up road kill, shot birds and rabbits went fishing and cooked and prepared them all for us to eat.

My job was always to defeather the pheasants, descale the fish. Deshell and gut the prawns. It was a messy job but I enjoyed doing it. My father showed me how to do it so that I would always respect what I eat and where it came from. My father has an appreciation for food and farmers and not being a westerner he also taught me not me to judge the way other countries act and treat animals until you can understand them better.

He also loves animals.

I watched Seaspiracy with claims that people would never eat fish again. I got about half way through. The images where disturbing, culling of dolphins, mass slaughter of whales, sharks being thrown back to die. It upset me and it’s cruel. The documentary didn’t go into great lengths about anything. It just flittered from image to image and showed the horrors of the sea. Which was its point I guess.

Things need to change.

The oceans and rainforests need to be saved.

I don’t disagree with any of this.

What I have an issue with is that everyone gets tarred with the same brush and let’s focus on how appalling Asia is?

That’s what really irked me. It’s wrong to blame Asia for what is happening all over the world.

The British fisherman are always at odd with the Europeans overfishing in our’waters. It’s not handled well but the focus in the documentary was so bitty and Asian focused I felt a lot of questions where left unanswered. Especially at the moment with all the Asian hate that is going on.

I read somewhere that we need to stop think of it as Seafood and thing of it a sea wildlife. A good point. A small focus went on people being abused and treated badly by the fishing company. This documentary maker has a big heart for the planet but his focus is rarely on the humans that live on it and off it.

While we disagree with much of what the Seaspiracy documentary-makers say, one thing we do agree with is that there is a crisis of overfishing in our oceans. However, millions around the world rely on seafood for their protein needs. With the global population set to reach 10 billion by 2050, the need to harness our natural resources more responsibly is more urgent than ever. Sustainable fishing has a vital role to play in securing those resources. MSc

But let’s not tar the fishing industry with one brush. Lots of big companies use smaller companies like a franchise. Lots of companies seek help to make sure they have the right practices in place. It’s their income that supports their family. It’s not one sided for a lot of fisherman.

This is where I show my bias.

I have, we all do. A point of view on this. Mine is The Seychelles. An island that looks at conservation with a serious eye. It understands that tourism doesn’t exist with our clean beaches and super clear waters. NOw it is far from perfect my home from home but it is trying like lots of places around the world.

Also my uncle was a fisherman. in the Seychelles the people live of the ocean in one way or another. The documentary didn’t focus on any of the amazing organisations that work to protect the oceans and seas but that’s not the story it wants to tell. So I do understand it wanted to make an impact I just wish all the facts lined up.

I put this point accross on an old work colleagues Facebook page I have followed for years. I wasn’t rude I just said I found it biased and it negated the people who rely on fishing as their income. He blocked me. Because my point of view didn’t match his, he sent me a Micky mouse gif to say goodbye and then blocked me.

I was stunned. What had I said that was so bad.

My opinion wasn’t wanted. It didn’t Aline with his so mine didn’t count. You have a right to remove any person or view from your life. We all have boundaries. I pride myself on listening to other peoples point of view because I like to have balance. To hear more than one point of view is so important.

I care about the environment.

I also love animals.

But I support local farmers, I also support local fisherman. I buy my meat from the local butchers so he can tell me where it’s from or I buy it from Marks and Spenser. Fish is trickier… I will have to do better research where I source my fish from.

No one can watch Seaspiracy and not be horrified by what happens. But other than stopping eating fish which can be harmful to the small people who rely on it, what is the solution?

To stop eating fish?

That is simple no? No it’s not, and it can’t be solved in a one sided documentary. It also can’t be solved by being singleminded.

It takes work and effort.

So let’s start a discussion. All views are welcome I just ask for everyone to be polite to one another. have you seen the documentary, what are your thoughts?

Organisation that are helping