Time for some “Fishy Business”

Want a new way to teach your kids and students about farmed fish? Food & Water Watch  has just come out with a new animation, “Fishy Business,” available online
as a fun and easy-to-use resource for parents and educators to teach their children about the potential dangers of fish farming.

 The animation describes in detail the process of fish farming. Specifically, it shows the effects of pollution, overfishing, and the cramped and unhealthy conditions in fish farms, as well as how fish feed is altered with antibiotics and growth hormones. Parasites and disease that are present as a result of the farming can also be spread to wild fish. The animation describes a variety of other problems also caused by this practice, in a way that is comprehensive, without being overwhelming – making it an ideal educational tool.

Recently the National Organic Standards Board – a panel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – passed a rule allowing farmed fish to be labeled as “organic” – despite the fish farming process being incompatible with organic standards. This goes to show that it is all the more pressing for parents and children alike to understand that some fish being sold in grocery stores, which may bear the seemingly safe label of “organic,” may actually be unsafe and unsustainable. 

Check out our website to learn more about the dangers of fish farming, or to sign a petition asking Congress to protect our health, oceans, and coastal economies.  You can also check out our seafood buying guide that recommends safe and healthy seafood choices.

– Sofía Baliño