Sustainable Sourcing of Fish and Seafood

The collapse of the cod fishery off of the eastern coast of Canada in the early 90s set off an alarm that global fisheries were in serious trouble. If an area that once teemed with fish and sustained generations upon generations of people could collapse, was it possible that the rest of the world’s fish and seafood supply may also be in jeopardy?

According to information from the OECD, UN and many other international organizations, the collapse of the cod fishery was not an anomaly. At present, approximately two-thirds of the world’s major fish stocks, from tuna to salmon to mackerel, have been pushed to the verge of collapse. Fishing practices are pushing harvest rates over the productive capacity of fish stocks, thereby driving down total stock levels to the detriment of fishing communities (OECD). In fact, a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization (2005) revealed that out of 600 fish stocks being monitored, only a quarter of the world’s fish are less than fully exploited, with only 3% of the stock considered underdeveloped. From the remainder, another quarter are overexploited and depleted, with the rest (52%) considered to be fully exploited, indicating the catch of these stocks is at or close to optimum level yield.

The rapid decline of marine life is largely a result of increased seafood consumption and the use of high-impact fishing technology, which raises yields and requires about 12.5 times more energy to catch the fish as is provided to those who eat them (WorldWatch Institute). The world’s largest seafood consumers—United States, Europe, and Japan—receive most of their seafood through large distributors, restaurants, and supermarkets, so changes in buying habits in these channels could have a profound impact on the health of today’s fish stocks.

The importance of fisheries - Why should we care?

Fisheries are an important contributor to food security and general economic activity, including employment and trade. At present, the diets of 2.6 billion people depend on fish as a source of animal protein, with consumption expected to grow at 1.5 percent per year through 2020, and approximately 200 million people earn their livelihoods from the industry.

To satisfy these needs, it is evident that our marine resources need to be better managed and harvested in a more sustainable manner. Such a fishery protects the fish and the environment, helping to ensure that there is a future for the industry and all those who depend on it (Marine Stewardship Council). According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, an authority on sustainable seafood, “sustainability” can be evaluated using a number of key criteria:

1. Inherent vulnerability of the species to fishing pressure
2. Status of the species population
3. Nature and extent of bycatch
4. Effect of fishing practices on habitats and ecosystems
5. Effectiveness of the fishery management

Sustainable fish and seafood can either be fresh or farmed, as long as the fishery satisfies the requirements of sustainability. However, with the depletion and collapse of a number of “natural” stocks, the industry has responded by developing and expanding farms to keep up with demand for certain species of fish. The sustainability of these fish farms can also be evaluated using another set of criteria (Monterey Bay Aquarium):

1. Use of marine resources in fish feed
2. Risk and impacts of escaped farmed fish to wild fish
3. Risk and impacts of disease and parasite transfer to wild fish
4. Risk and impacts of pollution and other impacts on habitats and ecosystems
5. Effectiveness of the fishery management

Are fish farms the solution?

For the last few decades, aquaculture has been the fastest-growing supplier of fish worldwide, particularly for Britain, Canada, the U.S. and Chile (David Suzuki Foundation). About 85 percent of aquaculture is for raising non-carnivorous species like tilapia and catfish, while the remainder is for carnivorous species like salmon. Most of these ponds are ecologically integrated, with wastes being used as fertilizers and distributed to surrounding agricultural lands. However, it is the latter production of the carnivorous species that tends to be the controversial practice, with critics citing the use of open net cages as particularly damaging to the environment.

According to DSF, there are several problems associated with open-netcage farming such as: - the pollution of surrounding waters with waste and drugs (used to keep the fish healthy), - escapes of farmed fish (alien species) that can pose a threat to native wild fish, and - net loss of fish since feed for farms is with pellets made from other fish. Instead of net cages, the fish farming industry must be transformed to use safe, fully enclosed systems that trap wastes in order to protect fish stocks and minimize environmental damage. To achieve this transformation, governments need to pass legislation to prevent such harmful farming practices and protect aquatic environments and wildlife. In this way, fish farming can be an important component of sustainable fisheries.

What can you do?

Although we should continue to eat fish and seafood, we need to eat less of the big fish and more of the smaller species lower on the marine food chain. For a comprehensive guide to ocean friendly seafood, refer to the Blue Ocean Institute which also provides a convenient wallet size scorecard to take with you when shopping or at a restaurant.

Ratings detail information on the species, origin, fishing/farming methods, relative abundance, and impact on habitat and other wildlife. According to the guide, some key species and products to avoid include: Orange Roughy, Chilean Seabass, Atlanta Bluefin Tuna, Shark, imported Shrimp, farmed Atlantic Salmon, and Caviar. Instead, choose alternatives such as: squid; farmed Clams, Mussels, Oysters and Scallops; U.S. farmed Tilapia, Catfish, and Shrimp; Alaskan Salmon, and wild and farmed Striped Bass. By choosing responsibly and asking for fish and seafood rated favorably on this list (and other equivalent lists), consumers can play a significant role in the fostering of a more sustainable, lower impact fishing industry.

Supporting sustainable fisheries driving force in helping governments pass legislation to ban destructive fishing, mandate fishing labels that indicate how fish were caught, and create marine preserves off-limits to fishing where fish can spawn.

Resources:

Blue Ocean Institute. Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood. Accessed May 2007 http://www.blueocean.org/seafood.

David Suzuki Foundation (DSF). Conserving Our Oceans: Aquaculture. Accessed May 2007 http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Oceans/Aquaculture/.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Review of the State of the World Marine Fisheries Resources.” 2005. Accessed May 2007 http://www.fao.org/newsroom/common/ecg/1000505/en/stocks.pdf.

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Accessed May 2007 http://www.msc.org. Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Seafood WATCH. Accessed May 2007 http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). "Towards Sustainable Fisheries - Economic Aspects of the Management of Living Marine Resources". 1996. Accessed May 2007 https://www.oecd.org/document/62/0,2340,en_2649_37425_2508478_1_1_1_37425,00.html.

WorldWatch Institute. “Conscientious Seafood Buyers May Be Greatest Hope to Reverse Widespread Destruction of Fisheries.” 2006-11-08. Accessed May 2007 http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4708.