Swimming Against The Current: A Fish’s Tale Of Woe

The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

In a break from our normal output, we’re tackling an unanswered question set by an audience member at a live incarnation of this podcast back in May 2023, Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted. Back then the in-person audience at The Bothy Vineyard event set us a range of questions to discuss.

This one was left anonymously and read - “Animal welfare in meat production is a good concern but Jacque Cousteau said “who cares about the death throes of a fish?”

William broaches the broader implications of trawler fishing, emphasising the discourse encompasses the entirety of animal welfare, extending beyond the act of fishing itself.

Stuart reveals the grim realities of trawler fishing, where countless fish meet their demise through suffocation within the nets or endure a chilling fate upon the deck. Such practices cast a shadow of inhumanity over the industry.

In a reflective chat, Stuart and William reminisce about William’s childhood angling experiences. They deliberate on the optimal methods to acquaint oneself with the aquatic inhabitants of rivers. William conveys a retrospective wish for a more compassionate approach to learning about fish, a realisation that eluded him in his youth. He affirms his family’s longstanding commitment to minimising their ecological footprint.

Stuart contemplates the paradox of nature’s predation, often shunned on television screens, yet an intrinsic element of life. He advocates for a conscious acknowledgment of our predatory role in fishing and urges a thorough consideration of the welfare of the animals we consume, aspiring to the pinnacle of quality in our dietary choices.

Expanding upon this, William points out the prevalent focus on mass production in the meat industry, often at the expense of quality. Stuart contends that a holistic understanding is imperative, one that encompasses the entire spectrum of our food production and consumption practices.

What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠[e-mail]

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This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

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