Upcoming Attenborough film should increase interest in plant-based fish

Individuals have the power to support the recovery of the world’s oceans by what they eat

The release of a new film this week (8th May) on the state of the seas to mark the 99th birthday of naturalist David Attenborough should serve as a nudge towards the consumption of more plant-based fish, ProVeg International said today.

David Attenborough warns in the film “Ocean” how life is being drained from the seas by trawler fishing. Recent research has also found that fishing equipment makes up 50% to 100% of plastic debris found in parts of the ocean¹.

“We believe a powerful documentary like this will lead people to question what they can do as individuals to help the seas recover,” Jasmijn de Boo, ProVeg Global CEO, said. 

“Trying out the growing varieties of plant-based seafood in the supermarkets is one way to reduce pressure on sea life and can easily be incorporated into our daily lives,” de Boo said.

“We expect plant-based fish to serve as a healthy and effective means to transition to more sustainable diets, reducing the environmental impact of fishing highlighted in David Attenborough’s film,” de Boo added. 

The 2023 EU-funded Smart Protein Project survey² indicates that 42% of Europeans find plant-based seafood appealing, and 43% would consider purchasing it, highlighting a growing consumer demand for these products. The same survey found that 35% of people would consider purchasing cultivated fish in the future.

ENDS

Footnotes

1. Fishing plastic waste: Knowns and known unknowns – ScienceDirect
2. Evolving appetites: an in-depth look at European attitudes towards plant-based eating – Smart Protein Project

Notes to Editors

For media inquiries, email Peter Rixon at [email protected].

For scientific data about the benefits of plant-based eating, see our Food System Data website.

About ProVeg International

ProVeg International is a food awareness organization with the mission to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040. Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.