[Vegan News = Reporter Seo In-hong] On the occasion of World Ocean Day (June 8), South Korean vegan organizations held a press conference on Wednesday at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, urging the public to adopt plant-based diets to help protect marine ecosystems from the impacts of industrial fishing.
The groups — △Vegan Planet, △Korea Vegan Union, △Vegan World Korea, △Citizens for a Vegan World, and △Korea Vegetarian Union — described commercial fishing as "the single greatest threat to ocean life."
In a joint statement, the organizations said, "Today’s oceans are suffering from severe destruction, and industrial fishing is a major cause," adding that approximately 4.5 million fishing vessels operate globally and that the total length of their fishing lines could wrap around the Earth 500 times.
They stated that around 2.7 trillion marine animals are caught annually — equivalent to roughly 5 million per minute. About 40 percent of these are unintended by-catch, most of which are discarded back into the ocean, already dead.
By-catch reportedly kills 300,000 whales and dolphins each year, while an estimated 250,000 sea turtles die from by-catch in the United States alone. In contrast, only about 1,000 sea turtles die annually due to marine debris.
The statement noted that shark fin consumption results in the deaths of 100 million sharks every year. Many of them are thrown back into the ocean alive after their fins are removed, left to die slowly from blood loss.
The groups also condemned bottom trawling, describing it as a destructive fishing method that drags massive nets across the seafloor, indiscriminately capturing marine life of all sizes.
They highlighted the environmental impact of fishing-related waste. “Plastic straws account for just 0.03% of marine debris, while discarded nets, lines, and other fishing gear make up 46%,” the groups said. “Fishing equipment is more dangerous because it was designed to kill.”
Marine phytoplankton produce about 85% of the oxygen we breathe, and oceanic vegetation absorbs up to 20 times more carbon per square meter than tropical rainforests, the statement added.
Around 93% of the world’s carbon dioxide is stored in ocean plants, seaweed, and coral reefs. Losing just 1% of this storage capacity would equal the emissions of 97 million cars.
While deforestation causes the loss of 27 soccer fields of forest per minute on land, bottom trawling destroys more than 4,300 soccer fields’ worth of ocean floor per minute.
The groups noted that approximately 50% of seafood today comes from aquaculture, which they compared to land-based factory farming.
Marine animals in the wild swim freely across vast areas, but in fish farms, they are confined to spaces hundreds or thousands of times smaller, leading to severe stress and disease. Wild salmon flesh is naturally gray, but farmed salmon appears red due to artificial coloring added during processing.
The statement also pointed to the global fishing industry’s reliance on subsidies and forced labor. Commercial fishing receives an estimated $35 billion in subsidies annually, and forced labor has been documented in at least 47 countries. Around 24,000 fishing workers die at sea each year, with little public awareness or accountability.
“Sustainable fishing is a myth and not a true solution,” the groups said. “The only way to allow the ocean to recover is to stop harming it.”
The event featured speeches, performances, and placards calling for action. Participants held signs and banners reading messages such as "Marine animals feel pain too" and "GO VEGAN! BE VEGAN!"
The following is the full text of the press conference statement.
Let’s save the ocean with veganism!
Let’s save the ocean by going vegan!
Let’s all save the ocean through a vegan diet!
Let’s practice veganism to protect the ocean!
Let’s start practicing veganism for the ocean!
Let’s all take action with veganism to save the ocean!
Veganism is essential to save the ocean!
Veganism is the answer to saving the ocean!
We urge veganism to protect the ocean!
Let’s save the ocean through a vegan diet!
Let’s save the ocean by eating plant-based!
Let’s all save the ocean with a vegan lifestyle!
Let’s protect the ocean with veganism!
Let’s protect the ocean by going vegan!
Let’s all protect the ocean through vegan living!
Let’s do veganism together!
Let’s go vegan together!
Let’s all go vegan!
Let’s put veganism into action!
Let’s start practicing veganism!
Let’s all practice veganism!
Veganism is essential!
Veganism is the answer!
We call for veganism!
GO VEGAN! BE VEGAN!
June 8 is World Ocean Day, designated by the United Nations.
Today, our oceans are groaning under severe destruction. Commercial fishing has wiped out 90% of large fish species and has become the greatest threat to marine life.
There are about 4.5 million fishing vessels operating worldwide, and the total length of their fishing lines could wrap around the Earth 500 times.
Each year, approximately 2.7 trillion marine animals are caught — roughly 5 million per minute. Scientific consensus confirms that marine animals feel pain.
About 40% of those caught are unintended "by-catch" — most of them are thrown back into the ocean, dead.
By-catch kills 300,000 whales and dolphins every year. While only about 1,000 sea turtles die annually due to marine debris, by-catch kills 250,000 sea turtles in the United States alone.
Shark fin soup results in the deaths of 100 million sharks each year. Many are tossed back into the sea alive after their fins are cut off, left to die slowly and painfully.
Bottom trawlers now wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. These vessels drag massive nets across the seabed, indiscriminately capturing marine life of all sizes.
Plastic straws account for only 0.03% of marine debris, while discarded fishing nets, ropes, and traps make up 46%.
Fishing gear is far more dangerous than straws — because it was created to kill.
Images of sea turtles with straws in their noses are widely publicized, but the massive deaths caused by commercial fishing rarely make the news.
Many environmental groups call for reducing plastic straw use — but rarely advocate reducing fish consumption. That’s because many are financially supported by the fishing industry.
Marine phytoplankton produce about 85% of the oxygen we breathe. Ocean plants and marine forests absorb up to 20 times more carbon per square meter than tropical rainforests.
Roughly 93% of the world’s CO₂ is stored in ocean plants, seaweed, and coral reefs. Losing just 1% of that storage would emit as much CO₂ as 97 million cars.
While deforestation on land removes 27 soccer fields of forest per minute, bottom trawling destroys over 4,300 soccer fields’ worth of seafloor each minute.
Today, about half of all seafood comes from aquaculture, which closely resembles land-based factory farming.
In nature, marine animals roam freely for dozens of kilometers. In fish farms, they are confined to spaces hundreds or thousands of times smaller — leading to severe stress, disease, and death.
Wild salmon flesh is naturally gray, but farmed salmon is dyed red for market sale.
Governments around the world provide $35 billion in annual subsidies for commercial fishing. At least 47 countries are known to use forced labor in the fishing industry. An estimated 24,000 fishery workers die at sea each year, their deaths largely unreported and forgotten.
Governments and international agencies promote "sustainable fishing." But this is a pleasant illusion — not a real solution.
We must stop destroying the ocean. Leave it alone, and it will heal itself.
So what can we do for the ocean?
The answer is clear: Stop harming it — and go vegan to save the sea.
