Research

“The Lament of the Sea” is a gripping independent documentary that uncovers the hidden costs of
the global salmon industry, with a spotlight on two of its largest players: Norway and Chile.
Through the lens of Chilean-Swedish engineer Roberto Jequier, the film takes viewers on a visually
stunning journey, revealing the stark contrast between breathtaking landscapes and the
environmental, social, and political crises linked to salmon farming. By Roberto Jequier.

Newfoundland's coast is at stake. A film by Land and Sea For All exposing the aquaculture industry’s neglect for the environment and local heroes standing up for a cleaner future.

What is wrong with open cage salmon farming in Scotland and what do we do about it? “Stop salmon farming, for good".  We want:

• Local communities having the final say on all salmon farm developments and the right to review and amend the planning permissions for all existing salmon farms • An end to the dumping of salmon farm sewage, chemicals, plastic, and parasites in our sea lochs • All government grant funding and subsidies being given to overseas salmon farming corporations to be diverted into our local community action and development groups • Vibrant and diverse local economies that don’t require us to destroy the places we live and in which we have more of a say and share in more of the benefits

Revealed: an investigation shows how consumers buying fish in the UK are playing a role in food insecurity and unemployment in Senegal

In April, scientists published the first-ever open-source map of fishmeal and fish oil factories around the world. Fishmeal and fish oil production is controversial because it can incentivize the overexploitation of ocean ecosystems, depleting marine food webs, and negatively impact coastal communities that rely on fish for nutrition and livelihoods. 

The study commissioned by Seas At Risk, Sciaena, Ecologistas en Accion and BUND, shows how the current political economy of fisheries in the European Union favours large scale industrial fisheries to the detriment of small-scale and low-impact fisheries. Small-scale fishers are key players for coastal communities, as they create jobs and are often much more sustainable compared to their larger counterparts.  This sustainability role is critical since fishing is the first driver of marine biodiversity loss. Favouring industrial fisheries rather than small scale and low-impact fisheries is not due to flaws in the current legislation but, rather, to a lack of full implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy which already offers a series of tools to tackle the root problems. NGOs call for a full implementation and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy. 

The Department of Environmental Health hosted a film screening of the award-winning documentary, Until the End of the World, which examines the environmental and community impacts of fish farming. The screening was followed by a panel discussion and lively Q&A featuring filmmaker Francesco De Augustinis, as well as Alessandro Bocconcelli, Matthew Hayek, Doug Frantz, and Catherine Collins, and moderated by Eva Douzinas, President of the Rauch Foundation.  Petros Koutrakis, Professor of Environmental Health, introduced the film, drawing a parallel between the rise of industrial agriculture in the last century, and this century’s growth of aquaculture.

Fishing communities are leading a global fight to stop the industrial farming of shrimp and fish. They say these farms are toxic for their territories and that the world's food needs can be better met by revitalising wild fisheries and small scale, sustainable aquaculture systems. But they are up against powerful opponents. Industrial aquaculture is a US$300 billion business controlled by large multinational corporations and powerful local businessmen. With the support of governments, they are moving aggressively to not only keep their farms afloat, but to expand production to new territories.

Overabundance of fish farms is a risk to both the marine environment and the economy. By Christos Logaras

Salmon, trout, sea bream, sea bass, and then environment, food security, colonization, land and water grabbing. Until the end of the World is a journey across three continents, following a journalistic investigation into the fish farming industry.