Industrial fishing is plundering the seas, fish are being replaced by waste and fishing nets, and our oceans are on the brink of collapse: if we do nothing, they will become vast watery deserts. At the point we have reached, dedicating just World Oceans Day on 8 June to them is not enough. This is why, this year, we at Essere Animali have decided to launch Oceans Week, seven days of commitment in defence of marine ecosystems.

What happens during Oceans Week

The campaign activities began on Saturday 5 June: we covered the stairs and platform of Cairoli metro station in Milan, just steps from the Castello Sforzesco, with posters bearing the slogans: "No fish, no future", "Does an ocean without life frighten you?", and "We are eating the oceans". We then distributed in the street a fictitious Corriere dal futuro, dated 5 June 2051, warning readers "Time's up: the oceans are dead".

The message is addressed to the inhabitants of Planet Earth in 2021, who still have the power to avert the ongoing catastrophe by changing their eating habits. As the newspaper explains, it is still possible today to reverse course and prevent the death of the oceans. If we carry on as we are, however, the fate of the seas and of the entire planet is sealed.

A third of the catch becomes feed for fish farms

The future of life in the oceans depends on our ability to drastically reduce, or better still eliminate, fish consumption. In Italy, consumption of this product is far too high and well above the European average (31 kg per capita compared with Europe's 24 kg). Most of the species consumed come from fish farms, which, however, are not a sustainable alternative. This form of production cannot replace industrial fishing, because the feed given to farmed fish is made up of fishmeal and fish oil derived from wild stocks, to the extent that it is currently estimated that approximately one third of the fish catch is destined to become feed for fish farms.

The Corriere dal futuro and the posters displayed in Cairoli metro station in Milan contain a QR code linking to the website www.salviamoglioceani.it, where visitors can find out what can be done in practical terms to save the oceans, as well as take a quiz to test their knowledge of the problems afflicting the seas and fish.

The future of the oceans is in our hands: a growing movement of people is becoming aware and taking action to forge a new path, towards sustainability, respect for the planet and for animals. We are counting on you too.