How to Make Sure You’re Promoting Sustainable Fishing?

Jeanne Dumouchel January 29, 2019 environment, Seafood

Sustainable fishing is performed by a fishery that ensures that fish have the time to reproduce and does not harm the environment and other species. Without careful attention, the resources on our planet are becoming limited. But how can you make sure you are buying sustainable fish when making your purchases?

The first thing to do is to identify the logos that indicate that the fish is from a sustainable fishery. There are a multitude of logos and it can sometimes be difficult to navigate. The best-known sustainable fisheries organization in the world is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), whose logo you’ve certainly seen. More than 52% of species in Quebec are MSC-certified, including lobster from the Magdalen Islands, lobster from the Gaspésie Peninsula, Northern prawn from Norwegian waters and Greenland halibut. Snow crab from the Gulf of the St. Lawrence had been on the list until very recently.

In 2017, Greenpeace released its sustainable canned tuna rankings in Canada. The Raincoast Trading brand claims first place, followed by Wild Planet and Whole Foods Market.

The Greenpeace Red List classifies fish species that are not sustainably harvested, including tuna, farmed Atlantic salmon and Chilean sea bass. It is better to avoid buying these fish species.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch mobile app is convenient because it indicates which fish species to prioritize.

In Europe, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) proposes rules for managing the fishing fleet and preserving fish reserves

In short, if you like fish, buy conscientiously to ensure its sustainability.

References

• Agriculture, Pêcheries et Alimentation Québec, Écocertification – pêches et aquaculture durables, https://www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/FR/PECHE/ECOCERTIFICATION/Pages/Ecocertification.aspx
• Andrée Langlois (May 2018), Doit-on se fier aux certifications et aux logos de pêche durable? https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1101259/peche-durable-responsable-logo-magasin-achat-poisson
• Greenpeace, Pêche durable, http://www.greenpeace.org/belgium/fr/nos-campagnes/oceans/solutions/peche-durable/
• Greenpeace (July 2017), Notre Classement 2017 du thon en conserve maintenant disponible !, https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/fr/histoires/794/notre-classement-2017-du-thon-en-conserve-maintenant-disponible/
• Louis Mills (March 2018), Baleines noires : la certification « pêche durable » du crabe des neiges est suspendue https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1090338/baleines-noires-crabe-neiges-certification-peche-durable-marine-stewardship-council

Author

Jeanne Dumouchel

A graduate of the UQAM in Communication (digital media) and a connoisseur of culture in all its forms, Jeanne has been the social media community manager for SOSCuisine since 2016. She also collaborates on the creation of content for the blog. SOSCuisine helps her to shop and eat better every day.