The Bite Back fisheries campaign“Vis wijzer, vis niet!”

Stijn BruersIARG, July 2011

Situation: biodiversity and overfishing

• 88% of EU fish populations are overfished• Worldwide: 50% fully exploited, 25% over

exploited (FAO)• Global fish stocks might collapse by 2050 (B.

Worm, D. Pauly)• Ecological footprint of fish is 5 to 10 times

higher than plant based sources (algae, seaweed, linseed,…)

80 Mton legal wild fish marine captures

>20 Mton illegal (IUU) captures

> 30 Mton bycatch

16 Mton Livestock (animal feed)

60 Mton

Aquaculture (inland)20 Mton

Humans (fish consumption)

5 MtonCompanion animals and fur

industry

>0,1 Mton Humans (fish oil)

30 Mton

10 Mton legal wild fish inland captures

Sea

Aquaculture (marine) 20 Mton

Situation: the science of sentience• EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA), “General approach to fish

welfare and to the concept of sentience in fish”, Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare, 2009

• “There is scientific evidence to support the assumption that some fish species have brain structures potentially capable of experiencing pain and fear. The balance of evidence indicates that some fish species have the capacity to experience pain.”

• “Responses of fish, of some species and under certain situations, suggest that they are able to experience fear.”

• “The stress physiology in fish is directly comparable to that of higher vertebrates.”

• “From studies of sensory systems, brain structure and functionality, pain, fear and distress there is some evidence for the neural components of sentience in some species of fish. Our knowledge and understanding of manifestations of sentience in fish, however, are limited.”

Situation: the science of sentience• Pain receptor cells,• Nociceptive neural pathways to higher brain structures,• Specialized processing systems in the brain,• Specialized transmitter substances,• Endogenous opioids and opioid receptors,• Electrophysiological responses to cuts and bruises,• Suspension of normal activity associated with noxious stimuli, • Behavioral avoidance,• Learned avoidance of places,• Influence of analgesics in reducing responses• Effects of chronic stress (immune system,…)

Situation: social intelligence

• “Fish are steeped in social intelligence, pursuing Machiavellian strategies of manipulation, punishment and reconciliation, exhibiting stable cultural traditions, and co-operating to inspect predators and catch food” (Laland et al. 2003)

Situation: fisheries and sentience

• Wild catches: very slow deaths of the fish (hooking, drying, compressing, freezing, gutting, suffocating,…). Acute pain cannot be avoided by any means.

• Farmed fish: diseases and chronic distress

Situation: fish consumption

• Toxics: (PCB’s, dioxins, heavy metals, flame retardants,…)

• Dangerous: fatty fish, high in food chain• Omega-3-fatty acids are also in algae,

seaweed, linseed, nuts, purslane and other leafy vegetables…

Objective2012 reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy • A substantial decrease and phase-out of the European fisheries subsidies, and a

redirection of EU funding towards – maritime conservation: using vessels and skills for e.g. cleaning operations (plastic debris,

oil spills,…) and tracing of illegal fishing operations.– research, development and promotion of qualitative plant-based alternatives for fish

products (novel protein foods based on e.g. algae and seaweed).• In the short term: lowering the Total Allowable Catches in line with most recent

independent scientific recommendations, based on an ecosystem approach instead of a single species approach. In the long term a further continuous decrease of the TAC is necessary in order to take the animal welfare and rights into account.

• Phase-out of fuel tax exemptions and other perverse subsidies for unsustainable and polluting fishing practices (e.g. deep sea trawlers).

• A moratorium on new aquaculture farms and a stronger environmental regulation of existing farms.

• A support for marine protected areas.• A general promotion of a shift in consumers’ diets, away from animal proteins.

Actions

Banners, flyer, website www.viswijzervisniet.be

Actions

• EU Directorate-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: lobbying and action (sept, 2010)

Actions

• Council of the European Union (okt., nov. 2010)

Actions

• Consumer awareness: Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven,… (national and local TV and media)