World premiere of documentary “Sea the Truth.” - 24 May 2010  
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A sequel of the 2008 film “Meat the Truth” on the impact of livestock raising on global warming, a new film titled “Sea the Truth” presents the equally destructive consequences of overfishing. The new documentary, which premiered last week in a special showing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was commissioned by the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation, the scientific bureau of the Dutch Party for the Animals, and features the acclaimed Dutch underwater photographer and conservationist Dos Winkel.

Dos Winkel – Dutch ocean photographer and conservationist, Shining World Hero Award, Vegetarian (M): Nobody sees what’s happening underwater, and what’s happening underwater is the biggest destruction of nature, in general, on Earth. I tried to make it visible by beautiful images of underwater life. When people see that, they get the idea, “Okay, it’s that beautiful, we have to protect it.” And in order to protect it, well, you have to take severe measures, like stopping eating fish. Stopping all the fisheries in the world.

VOICE: The film’s debut coincided with the release of a new United Nations report on biodiversity, which forecasts that the world’s oceans could be completely depleted in just 40 years if no action is taken.

Karen Soeters – Director of Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation, Party for the Animals, Netherlands, Shining World Hero Award, Vegan (F): There’s no sustainable fishery, and you should stop eating fish, that’s the message of this documentary, if we want to make sure that in 40 years we still have fish in our oceans.

VOICE: Through both beautiful and tragic images, and expert interviews, “Sea the Truth” explores issues such as fishing practices, contamination, fish product myths, and animal cruelty.

Claudine Everaert – Dutch director and co-producer of Sea the Truth (F): I was startled a lot by the enormous destruction caused by long line fishing. It also has a lot of bycatch, that shocked me a lot.

VOICE: In support of their efforts to address the harms of fish consumption, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed €30,000 to Mr. Dos Winkel and his Sea First Foundation.

Dos Winkel (M): I would very much like to thank Master Ching Hai for the support. Without your support, it would have been impossible. You covered all the expenses that we made, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

Marianne Thieme – Dutch Parliament Member, Party for the Animals, Shining World Leadership Award, Vegetarian (F): Because we have so many crises in the world, the food crisis, the biodiversity crisis, the climate change, people want to know what they can do to change the world into a better place. A lot of people must realize that your fork is a very powerful tool to become a compassionate and sustainable person.

VOICE: To all involved in this important film, “Sea the Truth,” congratulations on the world premiere. May this be the start of shared global determination to save the vital oceans and planet with an animal-free diet.

Karen Soeters (F): People, please be veg, go green, save the planet.

Dos Winkel (M): My name is Dos Winkel, and I have actually just one message: Be veg, go green and save this world.

Marianne Thieme (F): I’m Marianne Thieme, I’m a member of the Dutch Parliament for the Party for the Animals. Be veg, go green, save the planet.

VOICE: During a May 2009 videoconference in Togo, Supreme Master Ching Hai called for the protection of Earth’s oceans through the most simple yet powerful lifestyle change.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The marine ecosystem is in big trouble right now from global warming already. Further fishing will only make matters worse. Also, mercury poisoning causes problems to aquatic life even before it gets to the humans. These are things we need to address in trying to save our planet, not to talk about our health also. Eating fish will definitely not help this.

The ocean is a wonderful recycler that normally can purify the water and create nutrients and turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, etc. The ocean is a miracle. But if we ruin the ecosystems, this will spell disaster for us.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It’s better for our body, for our conscience, for our mind, and for the planet to stay away from fish. We should be vegan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzoC9npbuHA
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/05
/18/2010-05-18_un_warns_that_global_fish_stock_could_be_depleted_by_2050.html