NPR

What Fish Is Good For Me And The Planet? New Documentary Explores

In order to investigate how eating fish affects our health as well as the oceans, author and fisherman Paul Greenberg spent a year eating fish every day.
Paul Greenberg looks out at an anchoveta fleet in Peru. The fish is mostly ground up for use as feed on animal and fish farms.

Facts about the virtues of eating fish can be slippery. On the one hand, fish provide protein and omega-3 fatty acids, the substance in fish oil supplements, which is thought to boost cognitive health. Plus, unlike cows, fish don't belch vast amounts of the greenhouse gas methane into the air. So, fish should be good for your health and the environment. But the science of omega-3 benefits is far from settled, and as fish farming grows to keep up with global demand, the industry is raising new questions about environmental sustainability.

New York Times bestselling author and avid fisherman Paul Greenberg wanted to learn more about how eating fish can change human health and the world's marine environments. He ate fish every day for a year to see how it would affect his health and traveled around the world to learn more about the challenges of fish farming. His experience is captured in a FRONTLINE documentary called The Fish on My Plate airing Tuesday. (You can also watch it online.)

We watched the film and talked with

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
The Louvre Museum Looks To Rehouse The 'Mona Lisa' In Its Own Room — Underground
Louvre Director Laurence des Cars said her institution is looking at upgrading both the visitor experience surrounding the iconic painting as well as the museum overall.
NPR4 min readInternational Relations
Bernie Sanders Says Netanyahu Is Attacking Campus Protests To Deflect War Criticism
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized ongoing campus protests across the U.S. as antisemitic. The Vermont senator said it was an attempt to "deflect attention" from Israel's actions.
NPR5 min readWorld
Blinken Tells China It's In Their Interest To Stop Helping Russia
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken following his talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and top Chinese officials in Beijing.

Related