Catherine Levesque, journalist and committed author on environmental issues has just published: The practical guide of the eco-warrior at Delachaux and Niestlé. She gives us all kinds of keys, information, addresses and also actions to be taken so that our planet remains breathable and livable. A chapter is devoted in this book to “consumm’action”. Here we explore some aspects. What if, more than a simple consumer, you became a consumer’actor?
I consume therefore I act! Our choices create environmental realities that affect us and that also impact the lives of the animals we eat.
With regard to fish in particular, the impacts of overfishing are catastrophic, less in terms of the climate than in terms of ocean pollution and the damage to biodiversity that it generates. Fish stocks are overexploited, including in France, and it is not uncommon for other species such as dolphins to suffer. The concern is that you can’t trust labels, in fact, the French Pavilion label does not mean anything from an environmental point of view, as for the sustainable fishing label MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) supposed to reassure you about overfishing, it is in reality very permissive and authorizes industrial fishing ( 80% of certified) which are among the most damaging (see articles from the BLOOM association).
The solution is to reduce as much as possible the fish on our plates and when we buy, to favor artisanal fishing, with the trap, the net or the line on board small boats. and absolutely avoid trawling. Forget the big box stores and go to your fishmonger, ask him what fishing system was used. He must be able to answer you.
Absolutely avoid deep-sea fish such as cod which is becoming increasingly rare, stop buying shark altogether (salmon, dogfish …) which is the most endangered fish and prefer “blue” fish such as sardines, anchovies or mackerel.
If you want to know more about this, ASPAS (Association for the Protection of Wild Animals) and Longitude 181 can help you.