A report released this week by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Turning the Tide: State of Seafood documents the realities of seafood today, both wild and aquacultured. The report issues a new “Super Green List” and, as part of a campaign, calls for a boycott of certain “red-listed” (avoid) species.
Restaurants and retailers are increasingly seeing the importance of offering sustainable seafood choices. Consumers and industry are driving change. The challenge has been in connecting commercial buyers with sustainable supplies. FishChoice.com, a new, free online resource for commercial buyers, provides sustainable alternatives that are certified or ranked by six respected conservation organizations.
The State of Seafood report highlights both the bad news (over fishing, pollution, declining and endangered species, lowered yields) and the good news (companies greening their supply chains, better fishery management, more responsible aquaculture practices, and consumer awareness of the issues) showing there is cause for hope.
The report includes a clear and actionable “Super Green List” offering seven species recommendations that are best for both human and environmental health. All seven are low in environmental contaminants and good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids and all are on Seafood Watch’s “Green List”.
The campaign around the report calls on chefs, retailers, and consumers to boycott certain red-listed species including imported shrimp, farmed salmon, wild Atlantic cod, farmed tilapia from Asia, and some tuna species.
FishChoice.com offers a solution that didn’t exist until now by providing hundreds of “Green List” items and alternatives to all of the boycotted items. Users can register to use the free site here http://fishchoice.com/Register-for-FREE-Access.aspx , log in, and search for seafood options that meet the sustainability credentials or are certified by one of the six respected environmental organizations, including Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Other partners include Blue Ocean Institute, FishWise, New England Aquarium, SeaChoice, and The Marine Stewardship Council.
About FishChoice.com
Launched in 2009, FishChoice.com (www.FishChoice.com) is the first-ever comprehensive online sourcing tool for seafood products that meet the sustainability criteria of seven globally recognized environmental organizations. FishChoice.com is a free, non-profit service connecting commercial seafood buyers with easy one-click access to an increasingly comprehensive and constantly expanding database of suppliers of sustainable seafood products. FishChoice.com also helps sustainable seafood producers connect with the rapidly growing marketplace of buyers seeking environmentally-responsible seafood alternatives.
