To Eat fish or not: a sustainability question

Have you ever considered whether you should continue eating fish? Is it really a healthy choice? A sustainable one? It may sound provocative, but when we think about the overexploitation of our seas, plastic pollution, and the rise of aquaculture—with all its controversies and challenges—the question becomes unavoidable.

My name is Max, I just turned 32, and I have been fortunate enough to experience the sea from a very young age. I have enjoyed it with family, friends, professionally, and of course, recreationally. It is a part of me, something I think about often, and like many of us, it concerns me. The sea has given me incredible moments, and I want to continue having them.

I learned to swim before I can even remember, started diving at the age of 10, and began working at my family’s dive center when I was 15. I have been lucky enough to travel to amazing dive destinations like the Red Sea before it became as well-known as it is today—back when getting there was still an adventure. At 19, I started traveling on my own. When the dive season ended, I would leave until the next one (from October to May). I worked as an instructor in the Canary Islands, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Maldives. When I was 25, I decided to settle back in Torredembarra.

Winters at the family business are long, so I looked for new professional opportunities, always connected to the sea. I trained as a professional diver and combined this work with shellfish fishing (for six years), sailing, and selling boats, which I still do today. At the same time, I started getting involved in the conservation projects my family had developed, which have now become both my passion and profession: Natural Art Reef.

I know I’ve been lucky. I’ve been able to experience the sea in many ways, understanding it from different perspectives and through the lens of different cultures. I have seen how people from different places interact with, talk about, and relate to the sea. And one thing remains consistent: a deep-rooted fishing tradition.

In Thailand, Indonesia, and the Maldives, I lived on islands with no more than 3,000 inhabitants, where fish is part of the daily diet. There, artisanal fishing supplies the local community—both residents and the markets or restaurants—while industrial fishing operates on a national level. Occasionally, you see large fishing vessels passing by.

Here, just like in those places, we have both artisanal and industrial fishing, but on top of that, we also have an overwhelming amount of imported seafood products. However, there is a crucial difference: consumption.

How many people in fishing villages actually eat fresh fish from their own local markets? How many local restaurants serve fresh, seasonal fish from their own ports? The answers reflect the reality we live in—where price, convenience, trends, and marketing dictate our choices.

Clearly, gastronomy has played—and continues to play—a major role in all of this. We have become more demanding consumers, prioritizing species like sea bream, sea bass, and salmon without considering whether the sea can sustain this demand. The fish caught with great effort undergo strict selection based on consumer preferences, leading to massive discards and waste.

To compensate for this, aquaculture has become the alternative solution, making us dependent on intensive fish farming and everything it entails—including the use of antibiotics and medications.

In this context, we all need to ask ourselves: Will we keep choosing what we want to eat without considering the consequences?

If you’re a diver, you may have noticed that certain species appear at specific times of the year—some migrate, like manta rays, others come closer to shore to reproduce, like bull sharks, and some follow feeding routes, like whales. Fish are no exception. Each species has its own cycles and behaviors, and capturing them at the wrong time can have a direct impact on their populations.

From a scientific perspective, research is already being conducted to determine when and how we should fish responsibly, but this effort needs to be backed by effective policies and regulations.

As consumers, we also have a powerful voice. Choosing seasonal and responsibly caught fish is a way to contribute to the sustainability of our oceans.

Education and awareness are also key: every small action matters, from choosing local, fresh, and seasonal products to understanding where our seafood comes from. Our consumption directly impacts the health of the ocean, and as the saying goes, “the ocean starts at home.” By taking care of our environment, we ensure the sustainability of one of our most vital and renewable food sources.

In summary, it’s not about stopping fish consumption altogether but about transforming our relationship with the sea. It’s time to acknowledge that every decision we make at the dinner table has an impact on the health of our oceans.

Will we continue eating fish without thinking twice, or will we demand sustainability and responsibility? The choice is in our hands—and on our plates.