USA: Groups Release Ambitious, Realistic Vision for Ensuring a Long-Term Seafood Supply

WASHINGTON.- 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 .

A Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood

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