Green Fish

Sustainability is necessary to ensure future supplies. Controlling the harvest of wild populations is very different from farming. It becomes especially difficult to regulate in developing economies.

Wanted: greener fish

Market trends require stronger environmental performance by seafood industry

25 September 2007, Rome -

The US$400 billion seafood industry has no choice but to adapt to intensifying demand from retailers and consumers for "environmentally friendly" fish, FAO said today.

During opening remarks made to industry representatives attending the 2007 Seafood Industry Congress (25-27 September, Dublin), Grimur Valdimarsson, Director of FAO's Fishing Industries Division, said that the need for seafood producers to guarantee environmental performance is unavoidable.

"The push towards sustainable fisheries is not just coming from government or environmental groups, but from the market itself," Valdimarsson said, noting that major seafood retailers like Unilever, Tesco, Walmart and Asda have already committed to putting on their shelves only fish that was harvested or raised sustainably.

"In recent years the seafood industry has been uncertain as to whether these trends represent a momentary fad. Today, there's no question: it's real, it's a sea change, and...(complete article here).

There is plenty of evidence documenting the overharvest of many of our fisheries. The best comparison is to the overhunting that occurred in the U.S. and other countries before regulations controlled the seasons for harvesting game animals. The big difference is that we depend on our seas and seafood for a huge amount of the protein consumed by people. If we don't keep the pantry stocked, we will face a serious problem indeed.