Sustainable Seafood

The following are various definitions of sustainable seafood:

From NOAA FishWatch:

"Seafood is sustainable when the population of that species of fish is managed in a way that provides for today's needs without damaging the ability of the species to reproduce and be available for future generations. If you buy fish managed under a U.S. fishery management plan, you can be assured it meets 10 national standards that ensure fish stocks are maintained, overfishing is eliminated, and the long-term socioeconomic benefits to the nation are achieved."

The David Suzuki Foundation:

"The David Suzuki Foundation has adopted the definition of sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether fished or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. has adopted the definition of sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether fished or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems."

Seafood Watch:

"At Seafood Watch we help sustain wild, diverse and healthy ocean ecosystems that will exist long into the future. We do this by encouraging consumers and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that don't harm the environment. When there is scientific uncertainty, we err on the side of conservation."

The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 established a U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between 3 and 200 miles offshore, and created eight regional fishery councils to manage the living marine resources within that area. The bill was amended on October 11, 1996 and re-named the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The Act was passed principally to address heavy foreign fishing, promote the development of a domestic fleet and link the fishing community more directly to the management process. Each Council was directed to prepare fishery management plans for implementation by the Secretary of Commerce. The eight councils are administered by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service).

The 1996 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, known as the Sustainable Fisheries Act, significantly changed the focus of fisheries management by adding key provisions to address overfishing of currently depressed stocks, rebuild depleted stocks,reduce bycatch and minimize the mortality of unavoidable bycatch, designate and conserve essential fish habitat, reform the approval process for FMPs and regulations, reduce conflict-of-interest on regional councils and establish user fees.

Sustainable shrimp harvesting is a success story in terms of sustainable wild-caught seafood.

Wild American Shrimp, Inc. (WASI) raises public awareness about the benefits of sustainable American wild-caught shrimp. Wild American shrimp grows naturally, is caught fresh and supports the shrimp industry of eight Gulf and South Atlantic states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas and South Carolina.

The Wild American Shrimp Certification Program, administered by WASI, ensures that warm-water, wild caught shrimp from U.S. coastal waters meet a high standard of quality and consistency. Shrimp that meet these stringent standards are graded by new standards and labeled with the distinctive Certified Wild American Shrimp mark. More than 50 approved suppliers provide this quality product to processors, distributors, retailers, grocers and restaurants who rely on the quality and consistency of the certification and the Certified Wild American Shrimp logo to distinguish their product. Participation in the certification program is available to harvesters, processors, distributors, retailers, grocers and restaurateurs.

For more information see: http://www.wildamericanshrimp.com

Oregon's pink shrimp fishery has earned the world's first sustainable shrimp certification under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification program.

"Oregon's pink shrimp fishery has achieved a very important milestone in sustainability that will bring international attention to our state," said Governor Ted Kulongoski. "This achievement represents a significant step in identifying Oregon as a leader in sustainable resource management."

Sometimes referred to as bay or salad shrimp, Oregon pink shrimp are small, usually ranging in size from about 100 to 140 whole shrimp per pound. Fished from the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, Oregon pink shrimp are harvested using the most advanced trawl methods. Following short at-sea trips and immediate on-board icing, the shrimp are delivered to shore for cooking, peeling, and freezing, resulting in an extremely fresh product that is considered some of the most flavorful shrimp in the world. Canned and frozen shrimp are available year round, and fresh shrimp are typically available at local markets from Apr. 1 to Oct. 31.

US officials seem to have set sights on making American seafood supplies sustainable.

Bill Hogarth, director of NOAA Fisheries Service issued a prepared statement that proclaimed "Overfishing must be solved now. We have the right combination of legal tools to improve stewardship, and we're moving full throttle ahead with implementing the new mandate to end overfishing so future generations of Americans can enjoy sustainable and healthy marine ecosystems."

The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization promoting solutions to the problem of overfishing. The MSC runs the world's leading independent eco-label for wild-capture fish. It is the only seafood eco-label that is consistent with both UN FAO guidelines for fisheries certification and the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards.

In January 2009 the number of seafood products around the world carrying the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel reached 2,000 and is continuing to grow rapidly.

Nicolas Guichoux, Regional MSC Director - Europe, commented: "2008 was a year of tremendous growth for the MSC programme. Crossing 2,000 MSC-labelled products is extremely encouraging and we'll continue to pursue our efforts. None of this would have be possible without the support and enthusiasm of our partners and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Carrefour and all our partners. This momentum shows no sign of slowing and we will continue to promote the MSC programme and its ecolabel in France and in other MSC key markets."

MSC Chief Exec, Rupert Howes commented on the growth: "This is a tremendous rate of growth in MSC labelled product lines. It is testament to the commitment and hard work of our many corporate partners in the retail and foodservice sectors. The increased number of products - and choice of certified fisheries - is only possible thanks to the efforts of the fisheries putting themselves through assessment, the governments who have supported them and the other stakeholders whose input in the assessments and MSC governance has proved so vital."

For more information, please visit www.msc.org.

Businesses Seeking Expertise from the Conservation Community Now Have Clear Steps for Moving Ahead on Sustainable Seafood Groups Release Ambitious, Realistic Vision for Ensuring a Long-Term Seafood Supply

More than a dozen Canadian and U.S. organizations today released steps companies can take to develop and implement a comprehensive, corporate policy on sustainable, wild-caught and farmed seafood. The "Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood" highlights a clear path for achieving sustainability in the seafood industry. For a full copy of the Common Vision, visit www.solutionsforseafood.org.

These organizations - which all have a strong history of working with the seafood industry and policymakers on environmentally responsible seafood issues - have partnered to form the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.

"Our Common Vision outlines an ambitious but realistic path toward sustainable seafood that businesses can follow to safeguard the future viability of their industry," said Mark Powell, vice president for fish conservation, Ocean Conservancy.

"In the past, we've heard from companies that there is too much competing information about environmentally responsible seafood," said Jennifer Lash, executive director, Living Oceans Society. "Seafood buyers and suppliers now have clear and consistent input from a broad range of conservation groups about how to move forward."

The Common Vision identifies six critical areas where companies can take action to ensure a sustainable seafood supply and protect ocean environments:

- Making a commitment to develop and implement a comprehensive, corporate policy on sustainable seafood;

- Collecting data to assess and monitor the environmental sustainability of their seafood products;

- Buying environmentally responsible seafood;

- Making information regarding their seafood products publicly available;

- Educating their consumers, suppliers, employees and other key stakeholders about environmentally responsible seafood; and

- Engaging in and supporting policy and management changes that lead to positive environmental outcomes in fisheries and aquaculture.

Seafood buyers and suppliers can be a powerful force for improving the environmental performance of the seafood industry. A number of businesses including Plitt Company, Ahold USA and Compass Group North America have voiced their support for the Common Vision - and for the need to improve ocean health to maintain the long-term viability of the seafood supply. To see what these companies have to say about the Common Vision, visit www.solutionsforseafood.org/forbusiness.

"It just makes good business sense for companies that buy and sell seafood to ensure a long-term supply of seafood through direct support for environmentally responsible seafood policies and practices," said Tobias Aguirre, executive director, FishWise.

"We recognize that achieving the Common Vision is a journey with many steps," said Rebecca Goldburg, senior scientist, Environmental Defense Fund. "We want to join together with committed companies to move forward, using this Common Vision as a guide."

"The Common Vision outlines new opportunities for companies to expand enterprise in a more responsible way with long-term benefits for the industry," Bill Wareham, senior marine conservation specialist, David Suzuki Foundation.

The following organizations developed and are actively supporting the Common Vision:

Blue Ocean Institute
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
David Suzuki Foundation
Ecology Action Centre
Environmental Defense Fund
FishChoice
FishWise
Living Oceans Society
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Natural Resources Defense Council
New England Aquarium
Ocean Conservancy
Sierra Club British Columbia
World Wildlife Fund - US

For more information about the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions and the Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood, visit www.solutionsforseafood.org.

Seafood is generally low in fat, high in protein and nutrients, and high in Omega 3.

Americans now spend over $50 billion a year for fishery products, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

U.S. seafood consumption has exceeds 16 pounds per person per year.

Americans consumed a total of 4.9 billion pounds of seafood in 2006, including an average of 16.5 pounds of fish and shellfish per person. The USA imports roughly 83 percent of its seafood.

Shrimp has been America's favorite seafood since 2001. In 2006, Americans consumed 4.4 pounds of shrimp, per capita.

The United States imported 1.23 billion pounds of shrimp in 2007, a 5.7 percent decline from 2006. Roughly 90 percent of the U.S. shrimp supply is imported

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) report, "Fisheries Economics in the United States," found that in 2006 US commercial fishing operations accounted for 111,000 jobs in 2006 and generated $9.1 billion in sales. The report shows that an additional 106,000 jobs existed in seafood processing and 159,000 in seafood wholesale and distribution. Seafood processing and distribution generated $14.9 and $19.0 billion in sales, respectively. The largest sector of the commercial fishing related industry was the retail sector which accounted for 1,131,000 million jobs and nearly $60 billion in sales.

"Friend of the Sea, differently from other certification schemes, has focused first in assessing known lower impact fisheries, such as pole and Line, handline or purse seine for small pelagics." explains Dr Paolo Bray, director of Friend of the Sea "We believe consumers should be properly informed about the fact that most tuna stocks are not overexploited according to Regional Fishery Bodies assessments and that pelagic species can represent a lower impact alternative to bottom trawled groundfish."

The Philippines Yellowfin tuna fishery has catches of approximately 25% of the 110.000 MT TAC set by the National Tuna Management Plan in 2007 on the basis of the Maximum Sustainable Yield. The handline fishery itself fishes approximately half of the catch and mainly fully adult 35kg tuna, much bigger than the Philippines purse seine fishery which is often catching immature tuna. Bycatch is negligible: of the total fish landing in August 2008, black marlins represent 0,2%; sharks 0,0176% and dolphinfish 0,00024%. Quantities of discards are estimated to be below those of bycatch. Yellowfin stock status, according to the most updated Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission (WCPFC) is not overfished and is fully exploited, thus complying with Friend of the Sea and FAO minimum requirements for sustainable fisheries certification.