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The Netflix documentary on the impact of commercial fishing has received celebrity endorsements and a huge audience around the world, but it has also attracted criticism from experts who accuse it of making misleading claims
The Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, made by the team behind the award-winning 2014 film Cowspiracy, critiques the idea of sustainable fishing and accuses the industry of using slave labour and other human rights abuses.
The 90-minute film is one of the 10 most watched Netflix programs and has been praised by celebrities including Bryan Adams. The Guardian’s George Monbiot is among those interviewed in the film, and he tells Anushka Asthana that it shines a light on some of the murkiest aspects of the fishing industry that have been under-reported in the media.
The documentary, however, has also been heavily criticised for its approach, style and factual errors. The marine ecologist Bryce Stewart tells Anushka that fishing can be done sustainably, and that Seaspiracy’s take on the issue is overly simplistic.
Clips from Seaspiracy/Netflix
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