Veganuary’s Choose Fish-Free Week campaign recommends
plant-based alternatives to seafood as a solution to prevent pollution and
degradation of coastal ecosystems.
New Delhi – India ranks second worldwide in fish farming and third in marine
fishing. About 60% of the fish consumed in India are from fish farms which are typically
overcrowded and pollute the soil and groundwater where they are located. Marine
fishing is also contributing to environmental degradation and accelerating
extinction, with more than one third of Indian marine fish populations
currently overfished. Indian consumers are becoming aware that fish consumption
is destroying ecosystems and accelerating climate change.
Around the occasion of World Oceans Day
(June 8th), Veganuary is running the campaign #ChooseFishFreeWeek,
to highlight the reasons to choose a fish-free diet and the variety of plant-based
alternatives to eating fish. Whether it is commercially available seafood
alternatives or traditional Indian recipes which are low carbon, clean and
healthy sources of protein, the options are endless. A wide variety of tips,
information and recipes are featured on Veganuary’s website, which offers a
range of free resources to anyone who wants to try vegan.
Prashanth Vishwanath, Director Veganuary
India says “During this week, we will showcase the rich array of healthy and
protein rich alternatives to fish. So far, we have supported more than 2,50,000
Indians to adopt a plant-based diet. Many of them have done so because they do
not want to contribute to the severe environmental impact of eating animal
products. In this campaign, we’ll address the specific questions about getting
nutrients like the Omega 3s, while leaving fish off your plate.”
Veganuary is joined by popular content
creators for this campaign, helping raise awareness of the negative impact of marine
fishing and fish farming, and to show lip smacking fish-free alternatives and recipes
that everyone can try. The campaign will be live on Veganuary India’s Instagram channel and website, and anyone who signs up to
Veganuary will receive more than 10 types of resources to try a fish-free diet,
all for free.
On the occasion of Choose Fish-Free Week, plant protein brand Prot has launched its
‘gillt-free’ range, which is high in protein and resembles the taste of fish. Founder
Shantanu Dhangar says “Despite India’s rich and diverse foods, we are still a
protein deficient country. At Prot, we believe it is possible to solve this
through alt-seafood. We are excited about the new range, and we believe we have
just scratched the surface. The alt-protein sector is extremely promising and
we look forward to robust growth in India.”
Co-founder Varun Gadodia notes “With our
exciting products, we are aiming to meet both consumer expectations and
commercial success. We have established our strengths in food innovation and
now we’re using it to deliver products which are a balance of taste, price and
nutrition. We’ll continue to do it with our evolving portfolio offerings.”
Food innovation, conscious consumption and
care for the environment are all prompting a shift towards leaving fish off the
menu. Are you joining the new wave of consumers trying fish-free?
Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that
encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. Millions of
people have signed up to their one-month vegan pledge since 2014, and in 2024
alone more than 2,100 new vegan products and menu options were launched for
Veganuary globally.
Throughout the year, Veganuary encourages
and supports people and businesses alike to move to a plant-based diet as a way
of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the
health of millions of people.