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.
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