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At Omvits we believe that nature's resources should be used responsibly while leaving the smallest possible impact on the planet. Fish oil - which currently accounts for the majority of Omega-3 supplements available on the market - is unsustainable in the long term. Our current fish stocks simply cannot handle the growing demand for Omega-3.
You may think that only vegetarians and vegans would benefit from an alternative to fish oil, however, there are good reasons for anyone concerned about their own well-being or the well-being of our planet to consider an alternative...
At the current rate, global fish stocks will collapse by the year 2048, which will be disastrous for all life on Earth. Some species have already been fished to commercial extinction with many more on the verge. Although some efforts have been made to curb overfishing, there are still grave concerns about the future of our oceans.
An estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die in fishing nets every year. In order to meet the world's demand for cheap fish oil, fisheries often revert to the most inexpensive fishing practices such as bottom-trawling to maximise profitability.
Any "non-target" species caught in the nets, which are not profitable are thrown back in the sea to die.
The oil for fish oil supplements is typically extracted from the head and meat scraps of farmed fish. These fish are often fed on a diet of smaller fish caught in the wild, such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel and menhaden.
For every pound of farmed fish produced, several pounds of wild fish are required as feed. In fact, 80% of the fish taken from the ocean are used for fish farming.
This is not only hugely inefficient but also has a significant impact on wild fish stocks, and the delicate eco-systems they are taken from.
Over the past 20 years, the ocean’s mercury levels have risen by about 30%. Mercury and other heavy metals accumulate in the fish, and the further up the food chain a fish is, the more toxins it will have picked up along the way.
Farmed fish (such as cod or salmon) fed on a diet of smaller fish can contain high levels of contaminants, which may find their way into your fish oil. As a general rule, the lower on the food chain, the lower the concentration of toxins.
The oceans are more polluted today than they have ever been. The contaminants, toxins and heavy metals are absorbed by organisms at the low end of the food chain. These organisms are then eaten by fish and the contaminants make their way up the food chain, accumulating in the bodies of marine wildlife.
Krill oil supplements are a popular alternative to fish oil and are touted as the cleaner, more environmentally-friendly choice.
While it is true that krill oil supplements generally contain fewer contaminants than fish oil (as krill are lower in the food chain), they're certainly not sustainable.
Krill are small shrimp-like crustaceans which live in oceans around the world - mostly in cold water. They feed on plankton and marine algae, making them high in Omega-3. In recent years there has been a growing demand for krill oil as an alternative to fish oil for Omega-3 supplements.
Krill are found in large groups throughout the world's oceans. However, Antarctic Krill are often specifically targeted for the production of krill oil. They are found in large numbers in the Antarctic and the clean waters result in a low level of environmental toxins, making them a tempting target for krill-fishing companies.
A recent investigation by Greenpeace found that krill-fishing companies are becoming more active in the Antarctic, due to the increasing demand for krill oil. This could seriously damage the delicate eco-system of the Antarctic, as krill are a critical food source for penguins, whales, seals, sea-birds and many more. If the krill disappear from these waters, so will the incredible wildlife that depends on it to survive.
