How Are We Improving Sustainability in the Seafood Industry?

Globally, 94% of fish populations are exploited as we continue to take fish from the sea at an unsustainable level whilst using gear which threatens the lives of non-target species. This is despite greater monitoring, stricter regulations, new quotas and growing no-fishing zones. With fishing posing the greatest threat to marine biodiversity, it seems essential that we act now to protect both our oceans and their fish stocks.

Each year, fishers remove 77 billion kilos of wildlife from the sea and yet it is estimated that almost 20% of catches are either illegal, underreported or unregulated, meaning despite our best efforts, our fish stocks are still vulnerable to collapse due to overfishing. Recent investigations carried out by the EU financial watchdog found that despite the laws in place, illegally fished seafood was still being sold to consumers within its borders. Part of the problem is that the EU imports 60% of the seafood it consumes but lacks the rules which ensure it is imported from fisheries that do not harm the environment. There is also no legal requirement that products prove their sustainability performance to consumers, meaning many of us have no way of knowing where or how our food was caught. It seems that the sanctions for breaking the fishing laws in the EU are also not being applied evenly, with fines varying drastically from country to country, making it easy for some to break the rules. For example, the average fine in Cyprus and Estonia is only 200 euros however in Spain this number is closer to 7,000 euros!

So what measures are taking place to help make seafood more sustainable? The Wild Wildlife Fund is working with fisheries and governments in the EU to help improve the sustainability of imported fish. This involves regulating illegal, underreported or unregulated fishing in non-EU countries which are known not to be involved in the battle to make the industry more sustainable. In the scheme, if a country is found to be illegally fishing, they are given a ‘yellow card’ and the EU provides assistance in improving their fishing practices. However, if their performance does not improve, they are given a ‘red card’ and are no longer allowed to export their seafood to the EU. This initiative hopes to encourage countries to take lasting actions towards improving the sustainability of their fishing industry themselves. Guinea is one such country which was handed a ‘red card’ for multiple offences, including 60% of their vessels committing illegal offences with no proper sanctions or enforcement in place. Since then, their practices have dramatically improved and now see aerial patrols and satellite tracking of vessels introduced so they have a greater ability to monitor the movements of fishing fleets. They have also changed their legislation, creating rules regarding the landing of fish products whilst its coastal waters are closed to almost all vessels for two months in summer, a ban which stretches 60 miles from the shoreline and gives fish stocks a break in which to recover.

Back in the UK, several charities have joined forces in their mission to get remote electronic monitoring (REM) as a mandatory requirement on fishing vessels. This technology is combined with onboard cameras to monitor exactly what is happening at sea. Up until now, regulators have struggled to gain an insight into what actually happens onboard their fishing fleet as they are based so far out in the ocean away from watching eyes. Yet now, carefully placed cameras below and above deck will show fish sorting, bycatch and what equipment is used. This aims to reduce several illegal actions which are commonly carried out. For example, when sorting their catch, fishermen may throw dead yet perfectly edible fish overboard because they are of a low market value. This gives them more room within their quota to bring in more expensive species, helping them make a bigger profit. Camera footage showing the nets being hauled in will also reveal which species are being caught as bycatch. Bycatch is a major issue around the world, particularly for diving birds who try to eat the bait and end up becoming entangled. Other species which are most at risk include whales, dolphins, seals, sharks and rays. Finally, the cameras will also show what gear is being used, ensuring that vessels are using nets which are less likely to catch non-target species and undersize fish. REM also involves the use of sensors which can detect when nets are placed in the water and when they are hauled out. Combine this with GPS data and fisheries managers will be able to see where and when fishermen cast their nets, ensuring they are fishing within allowed areas and not within protected marine areas which may be a no-take zone. This smart technology hopes to improve transparency within the industry and help fisheries collect more data. These smart camera systems are actually already in place in the food production industry and sees computers analyse the videos to pick up where contamination and errors may have occurred as well as monitoring the production rate. So far, this system has been trialled on the Danish fishing fleet with success and it is hoped that a wider rollout will deter illegal fishing, bycatch and discarding.

Fishyleaks are another organisation which is hoping to make a difference and help the fishing industry become more transparent whilst ending overfishing in the EU. They have launched a website which is designed to be a place where whistle-blowers can expose illegal activities within the industry whilst remaining anonymous. The secure site allows individuals who work anywhere in the industry to upload evidence of unsustainable activities, such as videos of boats dumping low price dead fish back into the sea. The website has also received claims that many fleets are ditching their undersize catches back into the sea, a practice which is now banned. This is backed up by the fact that some countries saw no undersized cod caught at all in the last year, with whistle-blowers claiming the government is helping the fishing industry cover up their dirty secrets. The organisation behind the website tries to follow up on all these claims, seeking the evidence that allows rule breakers to be sanctioned.

If you want to play your part in making our seafood industry more sustainable, a great way is by being a conscious consumer. A helpful place to start is with the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide which is available on their website or on the app. This frequently updated guide lets you look up tens of different species of fish and see if they are a sustainable choice for you to consume. They also have a handy red list showing all the species you should currently avoid, such as American lobster, common octopus, Atlantic bluefin tuna and European eel. If you want to buy skipjack tuna for example but want to check its sustainability, you can find its profile which tells you it has mixed sustainability. Wild caught skipjack tuna fished in the Western Pacific by hook and line is rated as good whereas net caught in the Indian Ocean is not considered sustainable. It can be hard to find out this information when you are in the supermarket but looking for the MSC blue tick label shows the fish is caught sustainably from certified healthy populations. You could also check out your local fishmonger who is much more likely to be able to tell you exactly where they source their products from.

In the UK, an astonishing 80% of all the fish consumed is made up of just five species, meaning a lot of pressure is put on these fish stocks in the ocean but why not switch up your usual dinner for something a little different? Swap cod for hake when placing your fish and chips order or maybe use sardines instead of tuna in your lunch. Plaice is a good alternative for haddock and can be easily switched in recipes whilst still giving you plenty of nutrients and a great flavour. If you really don’t want to give up your favourite fish dish, you can still make more ocean-friendly choices by considering where and how it is caught. The British population of cod is struggling right now due to overfishing yet Iceland’s stock is looking very healthy. Similarly, prawns caught using bottom trawlers contribute to the issues of bycatch and the destruction of the seabed so why not choose creel caught ones instead.

With fish providing 17% of animal protein globally, making it an important food source for us, whilst also underpinning the marine food chain, it is essential that we protect our fish stocks before they are gone for good. Fish are a common resource which should be available to everyone and so we must start truly managing them sustainably to ensure they are there for future generations to benefit from.

By Neve McCracken-Heywood