Extinction and Pollution - the Cost of Feeding America's Insatiable Appetite for Fish

American's love fish and other seafood, but fish in particular. This countries obsession with maintaining a healthy lean body has resulted in millions putting aside their steak and other red meat cuisine in favor of a meal of fish. Our ecological concerns (save the planet and its species) encouraged the growth of fish and seafood farms. The growth of the aquaculture industry was viewed as a solution to prevent over fishing the oceans and other waterways of the world to feed our insatiable appetite for finny food.

However, it appears to be all to no avail. Our rapacious and until as of late, indiscriminate craving for fish and other seafood's has still resulted in the near depletion of our oceans, despite the fact that many of the popular ateable species are being farmed by so called eco-minded aquaculture concerns. And all the while, we fish loving Westerners are blissfully unaware, while chomping away on our favorite fish steak, that this seemingly, what appears to be a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy, called aquaculture, is wreaking havoc of monumental proportion in the small underdeveloped countries south of the border.

For instance let's look at Chimbote, a small coastal community in Peru which produces fish meal. In Chimbote there are over 40 fishmeal factories. Each spewing black smoke which billows from their stacks and drift through the streets of the community, obscuring the residents visions and chocking those who breathe it in. Fishmeal is the cuisine of choice for the carnivorous aquacultured farmed fish such as perch and salmon. It is made from the oily anchovy like fish which is harvested from the waters surrounding coastal Peru. The monumental removal of these fish from the Peruvian Pacific waters has significantly disrupted the marine food chain in that area.

The fishmeal plants are polluting the area which is having a negative impact on the villager's health. Many of residents are exhibiting a host of health problems which they had not previously experienced before the introduction of the fishmeal factories, especially the children whose ailments include asthma and other bronchial afflictions. It has been reported that when the factories are operating at full capacity, the communities they are located in looks like the aftermath of an enemy bombing attack or a major forest fire. All so that we here in the West can eat fish. Doesn't it seem ironic that in pursuit of our goal to maintain our health and help sustain the planet we create industries which polluted and destroy other communities and the health of their inhabitants?

To aid these poor individuals quit eating farmed seafood. Patronize restaurants and seafood establishments that serve only "fresh catch." Write your representative requesting some type of legislation be enacted to halt importation from these type of industries. People are a part of this planets species too. They need to be looked after also.

Resource: Fishy Business - Ecologist - January, 2009

Tags: green, pollution, aquaculture, eating healthy, seafood diet