0:00:55.869,0:01:00.046 In recent years, the oceans have faced[br]some of the most dramatic changes 0:01:00.046,0:01:03.222 in all of its history. 0:01:04.349,0:01:08.238 But to really begin understanding how[br]vital the oceans are for life on Earth, 0:01:08.238,0:01:11.221 and how we as humans are impacting it, we[br]have to start looking at 0:01:11.221,0:01:15.416 some of the smallest organisms[br]that live there: phytoplankton. 0:01:16.706,0:01:19.268 Phytoplankton are microscopic[br]marine plants 0:01:19.268,0:01:23.115 which produce up to 80%[br]of the world's oxygen. 0:01:23.637,0:01:26.911 That means, that for every ten breaths[br]that we take, 0:01:26.911,0:01:30.325 eight of them have come from the ocean. 0:01:30.905,0:01:36.234 In just one cup of seawater, there may be[br]up to 100 million individual phytoplankton. 0:01:36.234,0:01:40.363 Huge plumes of these microscopic plants[br]can even be seen from space, 0:01:40.363,0:01:45.515 as they divide, multiply, and move with[br]the currents around the globe. 0:01:46.505,0:01:50.145 These microscopic life forms are so[br]crucial to creating the necessary 0:01:50.145,0:01:53.825 conditions for other life to thrive, that[br]if they were to ever go extinct, 0:01:53.825,0:01:56.763 all other species would die with them. 0:01:56.763,0:02:00.475 Oceanic pH and flow of water are[br]essential for these invisible plants 0:02:00.475,0:02:04.503 to thrive and produce oxygen as well as[br]take in carbon, where they then sink to 0:02:04.503,0:02:07.947 the bottom of the sea for thousands[br]of years. 0:02:08.437,0:02:11.796 They also happen to be the primary food[br]source of small marine animals, 0:02:11.796,0:02:15.001 and form the base of the marine food[br]web, which has a knock-on effect on 0:02:15.001,0:02:16.753 larger predators. 0:02:18.505,0:02:22.842 In other words, the healthier the oceans,[br]the more phytoplankton there will be, 0:02:22.842,0:02:26.757 and the more phytoplankton there is, the[br]more sea animals there can be. 0:02:26.757,0:02:30.022 One example of a symbiotic relationship[br]is with whales. 0:02:30.022,0:02:34.655 Their diet consists of fish, krill,[br]plankton and other small marine animals, 0:02:34.655,0:02:37.325 and they often hunt in the dark depths[br]of the ocean. 0:02:37.325,0:02:40.860 Due to the fact they must return to the[br]top of the ocean to breathe in air again, 0:02:40.860,0:02:44.970 they end up bringing those nutrients back[br]to the vital topsoil-like layer of the sea 0:02:44.970,0:02:50.658 where phytoplankton can then utilize[br]the iron, nitrogen and sunlight again. 0:02:53.223,0:02:58.770 Blue whales, for example, defecate up to[br]three tons into the sea every single day. 0:02:58.770,0:03:03.217 Iron and nitrogen rich fertilizer which[br]provides food for the phytoplankton, 0:03:03.217,0:03:06.528 which then provides food for the[br]zooplankton, fish, and then ultimately, 0:03:06.528,0:03:08.325 the whales again. 0:03:10.017,0:03:13.757 This vertical movement of animals[br]up and down the oceans, which mixes up 0:03:13.757,0:03:18.114 the sea, is astonishingly roughly the same[br]amount of mixing caused by all the world's 0:03:18.114,0:03:20.956 winds, waves and tides. 0:03:23.445,0:03:29.225 Humans, on the other hand, take everything[br]from the ocean and give nothing back. 0:03:29.225,0:03:33.069 Fishermen claim that the whales and[br]the seals are eating all of THEIR fish, 0:03:33.069,0:03:36.475 and so they cull these animals, not[br]realizing that to have more fish in the sea, 0:03:36.475,0:03:39.900 the oceans need to have more whales,[br]more seals and other predators 0:03:39.900,0:03:44.343 to keep this symbiotic relationship[br]in balance. 0:03:44.343,0:03:48.066 Humans are the cause of this species[br]depletion. 0:03:48.066,0:03:53.255 Scientists have now estimated that as many[br]as 650,000 whales, dolphins and seals 0:03:53.255,0:03:57.262 are killed by fishing vessel per year,[br]and yet still most people will continue 0:03:57.262,0:04:01.309 to think that this will have little to no[br]impact on the marine ecosystem. 0:04:01.309,0:04:04.051 When really, they play a vital and[br]irreplaceable role 0:04:04.051,0:04:07.166 in the oceanic life cycle. 0:04:08.435,0:04:11.466 And those aren't the only animals we are[br]driving to extinction. 0:04:11.466,0:04:16.286 An estimated 200,000 sharks are killed[br]every day for the shark fin industry, 0:04:16.286,0:04:20.345 which equates to roughly 73 million[br]sharks every year. 0:04:20.345,0:04:24.202 All the while, 140 different species[br]are listed as endangered, 0:04:24.202,0:04:26.920 threatened, or near threatened by[br]extinction according to the 0:04:26.920,0:04:29.736 Oceanic Preservation Society. 0:04:30.246,0:04:32.724 Sharks are the apex predators of the ocean, 0:04:32.724,0:04:35.445 who have shaped the evolution of[br]thousands of marine species, 0:04:35.445,0:04:38.201 and have been around for 400 million[br]years. 0:04:38.201,0:04:42.271 Their extinction would, without doubt,[br]dismantle the entire ecosystem. 0:04:42.271,0:04:46.107 They have survived the previous five mass[br]extinctions, and are now going extinct, 0:04:46.107,0:04:47.853 thanks to humans. 0:04:47.853,0:04:52.070 But it's not only the Asian demand for[br]shark fins, that sell for $400 per pound, 0:04:52.070,0:04:53.435 that is to blame. 0:04:53.435,0:04:56.944 Around 50 million sharks are pulled out of[br]the ocean per year as bycatch 0:04:56.944,0:04:59.093 all around the globe, by accident. 0:04:59.093,0:05:02.220 Often by so-called "sustainable fishing"[br]methods. 0:05:02.220,0:05:05.353 So if people are to really be against the[br]killing of sharks, and want to protect 0:05:05.353,0:05:09.531 biodiversity in the oceans, we must stop[br]fishing altogether. 0:05:09.531,0:05:12.971 Another endangered species with[br]dwindling spawning numbers is 0:05:12.971,0:05:18.738 the Pacific bluefin tuna, which has had[br]a 96% reduction in global stock levels. 0:05:18.738,0:05:24.686 However, Mitsubishi, who in 2009 held[br]35-40% of the worldwide market for 0:05:24.686,0:05:28.514 bluefin tuna, is reported as having[br]a fifteen year supply of frozen 0:05:28.514,0:05:35.524 bluefin tuna in its warehouses, yet continues[br]to fish these threatened species regardless. 0:05:35.524,0:05:39.339 They could effectively stop fishing tuna[br]for the next fifteen years to give enough 0:05:39.339,0:05:43.064 time for some of the population to[br]replenish, yet refuse to take such action, 0:05:43.064,0:05:48.372 as the scarcity for bluefin tuna has driven[br]its cost up exponentially. 0:05:50.309,0:05:56.227 Approximately 2.7 trillion fish are taken[br]from the sea every year, 0:05:56.227,0:06:00.922 40% of which is discarded as bycatch,[br]and another third of which is often used 0:06:00.922,0:06:04.859 to feed the animals which people eat[br]for meat, dairy and eggs. 0:06:04.859,0:06:10.176 In fact, so much fish is ground up into[br]pellets and fed to livestock that 0:06:10.176,0:06:15.096 pigs, cows and chickens are now[br]the world's leading oceanic predators. 0:06:15.096,0:06:19.268 Whilst the sewage that these land animals[br]produce, have created over 500 0:06:19.268,0:06:22.694 nitrogen flooded dead zones[br]around the world in our oceans, 0:06:22.694,0:06:25.523 and comprise more than[br]95,000 square miles of 0:06:25.523,0:06:27.801 areas completely devoid of life. 0:06:27.801,0:06:30.455 So any meaningful discussion about[br]the state of the oceans 0:06:30.455,0:06:34.318 must always embrace as a priority[br]frank discussion about land-based 0:06:34.318,0:06:38.973 animal agriculture, which is the exact[br]opposite of what virtually every 0:06:38.973,0:06:43.176 conservation group, like WWF and[br]Oceana, are doing. 0:06:43.176,0:06:47.382 They are still hooked on the romantic[br]notion of promoting "sustainable fishing", 0:06:47.382,0:06:50.281 which although makes consumers[br]comfortably unaware about the true 0:06:50.281,0:06:53.336 exploitation and cost to the oceans[br]and the animals, can never take away 0:06:53.336,0:06:56.972 from the fact that leading environmental[br]researchers and scientists say that 0:06:56.972,0:07:00.552 "sustainable fishing" is virtually impossible[br]when keeping in mind the overwhelming 0:07:00.552,0:07:03.760 debt we already owe to the ocean. 0:07:03.780,0:07:08.004 Out of all the species that humans take[br]from the ocean, none is as devastating 0:07:08.004,0:07:10.759 on marine animal populations as shrimping. 0:07:10.759,0:07:15.019 Currently, shrimp make up about 2% by[br]weight of the animals taken from the sea, 0:07:15.019,0:07:18.189 yet make up for a third of global bycatch. 0:07:18.189,0:07:22.691 In some cases, for every one kilogram of[br]shrimp caught, up to 20 kilograms of other 0:07:22.691,0:07:25.914 animals can be caught as bycatch[br]in the process. 0:07:25.914,0:07:28.890 Not only that, but since land-based[br]fish farming has been on the rise in 0:07:28.890,0:07:32.980 recent years, many vessels at sea are[br]targeting so-called "trash fish", which 0:07:32.980,0:07:36.145 are made up from juvenile fish from[br]environmentally important species, 0:07:36.145,0:07:38.298 to then grind up into fish food. 0:07:38.298,0:07:42.363 In this way, almost four tons of[br]wild-caught fish can be used to produce 0:07:42.363,0:07:46.107 just half a ton of shrimp, which ends up[br]in supermarkets and restaurants 0:07:46.107,0:07:48.554 across the US, Europe, and Asia. 0:07:48.554,0:07:52.336 This has severely impacted the ability for[br]many species to replenish, 0:07:52.336,0:07:58.059 mature and mulitply. The knock-on effect[br]of this devastation is almost never-ending. 0:07:58.059,0:08:02.676 In some regions of the world, such as[br]Southeast Asia, the oceans are so exploited 0:08:02.676,0:08:05.669 that although fishermen are working[br]several times harder than in the past, 0:08:05.669,0:08:07.770 they are catching fewer and fewer fish. 0:08:07.770,0:08:11.353 This is especially the case in Thailand,[br]where fishermen are catching 14% 0:08:11.353,0:08:14.864 of what they used to 50 years ago. 0:08:14.864,0:08:19.279 This has led to a loss of profits, increase[br]in illegal fishing in marine sanctuaries, 0:08:19.279,0:08:23.432 persistent fishing methods that allow no[br]time for spawning, and also resulted in 0:08:23.432,0:08:26.706 large rates of slave labour, as young men[br]and women are kidnapped on land, 0:08:26.706,0:08:30.277 drugged, beaten unconscious, and taken[br]on ships where they may be forced to work 0:08:30.277,0:08:34.024 relentlessly for years, so as to reduce[br]the cost of the operations for the criminal 0:08:34.024,0:08:35.688 ship owners. 0:08:35.688,0:08:39.316 This is shocking to know, seeing as around[br]33% of fish are coming from 0:08:39.316,0:08:42.768 developing countries, where not only is[br]regulation of fishing practices and 0:08:42.768,0:08:46.264 working standards almost non-existent,[br]but also happen to be in regions 0:08:46.264,0:08:50.614 of the planet where endangered species[br]reside or migrate to. 0:08:50.614,0:08:53.966 Large-scale commercial fishing [br]kills vast amounts of fish, 0:08:53.966,0:08:56.545 and also destroys many ocean habitats. 0:08:56.545,0:08:58.960 Bottom trawling has been linked to mass[br]deforestation, 0:08:58.960,0:09:01.875 as marine research of Brien Brett states. 0:09:01.875,0:09:07.066 Imagine if you used a fleet of tractors [br]to drag 30 tons of gear over a 150 meter 0:09:07.066,0:09:11.389 wide swath of land for most days [br]of the year, you would wipe out 0:09:11.389,0:09:14.297 the New Forest in a few months, [br]and the rest of the countryside 0:09:14.297,0:09:16.363 not long after that. 0:09:16.363,0:09:20.163 Yet that is what we are doing to the[br]seabed around Britain, even worse,[br] 0:09:20.163,0:09:23.081 the boats keep going over[br]the same key areas. 0:09:23.081,0:09:28.655 The seafloor gets no chance to [br]recuperate. It is tragic. 0:09:29.305,0:09:32.292 Before being slaughtered, fish [br]are sometimes stunned. 0:09:32.292,0:09:35.606 One of the following methods are used:[br]a blow to the head, 0:09:35.606,0:09:40.426 electrical stunning, cold water [br]immersion, and carbon dioxide gassing. 0:09:40.426,0:09:43.133 Carbon dioxide gassing is where [br]the fish enter water that has been 0:09:43.133,0:09:46.884 saturated with carbon dioxide. [br]This rapid change in their environment 0:09:46.884,0:09:49.506 irritates their gills. [br]Fish struggle for several minutes 0:09:49.506,0:09:53.094 before they become immobile from[br]exaustion and lack of oxygen. 0:09:53.094,0:09:56.513 There is no evidence that the fish [br]are anaesthetised at this stage, 0:09:56.513,0:10:00.013 so they are not unconcious when[br]their gills are cut. 0:10:00.013,0:10:03.419 There are a number of different methods[br]used to slaughter fish, 0:10:03.419,0:10:05.897 whether from farms or caught in the wild. 0:10:05.897,0:10:09.674 These include asphyxiation, where [br]the fish are removed from the water 0:10:09.674,0:10:12.608 so that their gills collapse,[br]and they suffocate to death. 0:10:12.608,0:10:14.990 It can take some fish, [br]such as trout, ten minutes 0:10:14.990,0:10:17.635 to die from this method.[br]Tearing of the gill arches 0:10:17.635,0:10:20.297 so that fish bleed to death [br]is another method. 0:10:20.297,0:10:23.141 It can take up to 4 minutes [br]for the fish to die. 0:10:23.141,0:10:25.150 Hoisting the fish from the water[br]with the hook, and then 0:10:25.150,0:10:28.449 forcing a spike through their[br]brain is often used on tuna. 0:10:28.449,0:10:31.797 Decapitation is another method, [br]while some fish are even sold alive 0:10:31.797,0:10:37.500 and killed by the user, such as[br]a restaurant or a consumer. 0:10:38.022,0:10:41.321 Some will try to justify the [br]consumption of fish, based on their 0:10:41.321,0:10:45.738 apparent lack of intelligence, [br]memory, and ability to feel pain. 0:10:45.738,0:10:49.376 Research has shown that several[br]fish species have accurate memories 0:10:49.376,0:10:52.023 that can last several days, [br]or even years in the case of 0:10:52.023,0:10:54.989 migrating salmon. [br]Some fish will migrate across 0:10:54.989,0:10:58.128 thousands of miles of ocean, [br]returning to spawn at the location 0:10:58.128,0:11:00.251 where they themselves were spawned. 0:11:00.251,0:11:03.564 Fish respond to threats and stress [br]through changes in their colour, 0:11:03.564,0:11:05.731 or in their movement, such as [br]swimming more rapidly, 0:11:05.731,0:11:09.057 becoming immobile, or even [br]swimming at different depths. 0:11:09.057,0:11:13.028 Research has shown that some fish,[br]particulary trout, show fear 0:11:13.028,0:11:16.578 and avoidance behavior towards[br]unknown or unfamiliar objects, 0:11:16.578,0:11:19.047 and have been found to take [br]their time before approaching 0:11:19.047,0:11:22.801 these objects, sometimes even [br]avoiding them altogether. 0:11:22.801,0:11:26.514 Because fish and shellfish live in[br]increasingly polluted environments, 0:11:26.514,0:11:28.918 toxins from the water[br]accumulate in their bodies. 0:11:28.918,0:11:31.081 Studies have shown that most [br]of the fish throughout the world 0:11:31.081,0:11:33.954 contain dangerously high[br]levels of mercury. 0:11:33.954,0:11:36.039 In the Faroe islands, [br]where the local population 0:11:36.039,0:11:39.067 frequently slaughter and consume [br]pilot whales, which there is 0:11:39.067,0:11:42.494 little to no data for to see[br]if they're endangered or not, 0:11:42.494,0:11:45.292 body mercury levels are sky-high. 0:11:45.292,0:11:48.792 Researchers had also found [br]that for every one gram of whale meat, 0:11:48.792,0:11:54.095 there was 2 micrograms of methylmercury, [br]the most toxic form of mercury. 0:11:54.095,0:11:57.029 Exposure to this metal has [br]serious health consequences, 0:11:57.029,0:12:01.093 including increased risk of cancer,[br]heart disease, and even death. 0:12:01.093,0:12:05.156 Fish also contain unsafe levels [br]of polychlorinated biphenyls, 0:12:05.156,0:12:08.089 which are danregous chemicals that [br]have been linked to neurological problems, 0:12:08.089,0:12:10.949 and birth defects in babies [br]who have been exposed. 0:12:10.949,0:12:15.687 A plant-based diet automatically reduces[br]your exposure to these chemicals. 0:12:15.687,0:12:19.628 Touted as a health food, fish has[br]a reputation for being heart-healthy. 0:12:19.628,0:12:23.342 People who opt for fish to try and [br]protect their hearts may not realize 0:12:23.342,0:12:27.835 that fish is often high in cholesterol. [br]While an three ounce T-bone steak 0:12:27.835,0:12:31.342 contains 70 miligrams of [br]cholesterol, just three ounces 0:12:31.342,0:12:34.527 of shrimp contain a 161 milligrams. 0:12:34.527,0:12:37.333 Numerous studies have shown[br]that dietary cholesterol consumption 0:12:37.333,0:12:41.459 corresponds with an increased [br]risk of artery blockage. 0:12:41.459,0:12:45.966 While fish contain omega 3 fats, [br]most of the fat in fish is not healthy. 0:12:45.966,0:12:50.664 Between 15 and 30% of the fat [br]in fish is actually saturated fat, 0:12:50.664,0:12:53.579 which stimulates the liver to [br]produce more cholesterol. 0:12:53.579,0:12:58.145 High fat foods are associated [br]with poor heart health outcomes. 0:12:58.145,0:13:02.122 The good news is, that by eliminating [br]foods that contain cholesterol, like fish, 0:13:02.122,0:13:05.168 and opting for more naturally[br]cholesterol-free plant foods, 0:13:05.168,0:13:09.094 people can reduce both their cholesterol[br]levels and their risk of heart disease, 0:13:09.094,0:13:11.732 because research has shown that[br]every one percent reduction 0:13:11.732,0:13:15.754 in cholesterol means a reduction[br]in heart disease risk by two percent. 0:13:15.754,0:13:21.923 Fish is not a sustainable, kind or healthy [br]food source for today or the future. 0:13:21.923,0:13:24.876 There's no reason for us to continue[br]in this destructive way of 0:13:24.876,0:13:27.788 animal farming for the sake [br]of our nourishment. 0:13:27.788,0:13:31.564 The science has proven, without doubt, [br]that it is not necessary to our survival 0:13:31.564,0:13:36.683 to consume animals, and in fact,[br]it is quite the opposite. 0:13:36.683,0:13:39.294 Not only is the elimination of [br]animal products healthy for us, 0:13:39.294,0:13:42.136 but it is hugely beneficial for[br]the planet, and for the other animals 0:13:42.136,0:13:44.995 that inhabit the sea and the earth with us. 0:13:44.995,0:13:49.256 Becoming vegan and reducing your body count[br]and environmental footprint is easy. 0:13:49.256,0:13:51.763 For more help in progressing [br]to a vegan diet and making 0:13:51.763,0:13:54.764 the transition you can visit[br]these websites for more information, 0:13:54.764,0:13:57.696 and, as always, if you found this video[br]helpful and want to make a difference, 0:13:57.696,0:14:01.033 comment, subscribe, [br]and please share it around. 0:14:01.033,0:14:04.034 If you also want to help support[br]the making of more videos like these, 0:14:04.034,0:14:06.173 which require hundreds of hours to make, 0:14:06.173,0:14:09.270 you can visit my patreon page [br]for more information there. 0:14:09.270,0:14:11.382 Thank you for watching.