NRDC, Conservation Groups Develop Business-Supported Sustainable Seafood Plan

Key Seafood Buyers Support Vision for a Long-Term Sustainable Fish Supply

NEW YORK (May 8, 2008) – The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in partnership with more than a dozen conservation organizations, today released clear, realistic steps companies can take to develop and implement a comprehensive corporate policy on sustainable, wild-caught and farmed seafood.

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Chilean sea bass: Photo by Mike McCune (CC)

More than a dozen leading seafood buyers and suppliers have already announced their support for the plan, called “Common Vision,” and the need to improve ocean health to maintain the long-term viability of the seafood supply, including Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Plitt Company, Ahold USA and Central Coast Seafood.

“When we go food shopping or sit down to eat at a restaurant, we need to start thinking twice about which fish to purchase if we want our children to enjoy that same seafood into the future,” said Sarah Chasis, NRDC’s Ocean Initiative Director. “Many types of fish we see on the menu every day have been seriously depleted by bad fishing practices, pollution and lost habitat. The Common Vision gives businesses a clear plan of action to help reverse this decline so that there will be a sustainable seafood supply both today and tomorrow.”

NRDC partnered with a group of conservation organizations from the U.S. and Canada to work together as the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions. The Alliance has created the “Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood,” which highlights a clear path for achieving sustainability in the seafood industry. 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.

NRDC is committed to protecting the world’s oceans and fighting to preserve our seafood supply. For a list of sustainable seafood recipes you can serve at home, go to: http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/gseafood.asp.

For a full copy of the Common Vision, and more information about the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions and the Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood, go to: www.solutionsforseafood.org.

Source: NRDC