Joanna Sullivan’s Post

The EU should discontinue support for industrial aquaculture of carnivorous species and instead promote more sustainable small-scale aquaculture, say expert groups. Many European consumers who want to eat fish from sustainable sources believe farmed salmon, trout and seabass are sustainable choices. But the intensive farming of carnivorous fin fish is neither socially nor environmentally sustainable. The environmental impacts of this industrial production model include an increase in harmful algal blooms, a negative impact on sea grass meadows due to the accumulation of organic matter around farms, mass fish die-offs, the use of the harmful substances such as carcinogenic formaldehyde or antibiotics, and water pollution, creating dead zones on the sea bed underneath the farms. Adding to this, carnivorous farmed fish such as salmon and seabass require high volumes of fishmeal and fish oil from wild-caught fish in their feed. In Europe, industrial aquaculture of carnivorous fish at sea is damaging the environment and displacing traditional activities such as coastal small-scale fisheries. On the island of Poros, Greece, for example, the plan is to increase the area dedicated to open net pen carnivorous fish farms by 28 times. Yet, underwater video depicts that marine ecosystem near the current small-scale pens is completely dead from the waste and pollution of the farms, and local professional fishermen attest to a loss of wild fish since the influx of fish farms. Beyond Europe, the production of fishmeal and fish oil necessary to feed carnivorous farmed fish is depleting wild fish stocks. This is the case in West Africa where the overfishing of small pelagics such as sardines and mackerel for industrial fish farms in Europe is undermining food security and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and women fish-processors. Fish is taken away from people in low-income countries to feed the farmed fish which will be consumed in wealthy nations. The UN special rapporteur on the right to food acknowledged this in his report to the Human Rights Council in early 2024: “Many farmed fish are carnivorous species that require feed products harvested from wild fish stock, thereby creating another source of pressure on wild fish stocks and disrupting ecosystems.” If Europe wants to be a model in sustainable ocean governance, it must place small-scale, low-impact fisheries and aquaculture at the heart of its food policy. CFFA Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements CAOPA Pêche Artisanale Low Impact Fishers of Europe - LIFE Feedback Compassion in World Farming EU Rauch Foundation Ursula von der Leyen #sustainableaquaculture #foodsystems #noharm #health #food #farming #strategicguidelines

Last week a groundbreaking report from the Changing Markets Foundation exposed the tactics used by the big meat and dairy industry, together with their trade associations, to block climate action worldwide. Key findings of the report include: ❗️Extensive lobbying to block climate policies ❗️Greenwashing and weak net zero targets ❗️Targeted disinformation campaigns to Gen Z ❗️’Unproven technofixes’ that taxpayers foot the bill for ‼️Delaying much-needed transition to more plant-based diets. This investigation underscores the urgent need for stricter legislation and transparency in the meat and dairy industries. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/enrNEBj9 Bloomberg report : https://lnkd.in/emF4vGg7 #NewMerchantsOfDoubt #BigMeat #BigDairy #foodsystem #health #towardsplants #plantbaseddiet Nusa Urbancic

I’ve been working with the people of Sea Shepherd since April 2024 as part of a wide ranging coalition to stop industrial aquaculture. The work of Sea Shepherd is massively important to save life in the seas for future generations. They self fund ships and brave people sail the seas to monitor criminal activity. One of their captains told me the story of discovering fleets of ships in the Antarctic sea, that were fishing krill in the billions of tonnes, while visibly blocking megapods of whales from accessing their basic feed. This (relatively) new practice brings krill oil to the Global North to add to pet food for more shiny fur, or to feed industrial salmon. Captain Peter Hammarstedt, Director of Campaigns. “Most people assume that the Antarctic is fully protected from industrial fishing. But over a dozen supertrawlers—each one as large as two Olympic-sized swimming pools—are licensed to kill krill, a foundational species that whales, penguins, seals and the entire ecosystem depends on for survival“. Sea Shepherd Global, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and all the Sea Shepherd movement represent everything right with the world, protecting life at sea https://seashepherd.org/ #fortheoceans #stopfishfarms #savethewhale Eva Douzinas Alex Cornelissen

Conscience Consulting is supporting this message to decision makers at #COP16 in Cali Colombia along with 130 other businesses. We want to see strong global rules to protect and restore nature. When nature thrives, people thrive 🌱 #natureprotection #naturerestoration #forests #biodiversity #oceans #life #NaturePositive #ForNature #NowForNature Business for Nature Eva Zabey Maelle Pelisson

Exciting role for an experienced campaigner (5+ years) to lead a new campaign exposing the environmental harm and human right abuses linked to the production and use of synthetic fertilisers

Sharing the joy ! Being in the country to vote, pore over the results and share the moment of national reset, towards the “sunlight of hope” is a real joy. After traumatic years of political failure, this result shows it is possible to get organised, build sound arguments, campaign with precision and win ! 4 Green MPs 70+ Lib Dems 400+ Labour Let’s go ! Now the real work begins 💚💛❤️

So how is the EU doing against the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 ? Poor progress to restore “life on land”, reverse biodiversity loss and land degradation. Warning signals on “life below water”, with “unsustainable trends” toward rising ocean acidification and eutrophication. Report is here : https://lnkd.in/eEcYsGjT #sdgs #globalgoals #oceans #nature