Saving Seafood

International & Trade

McDonald’s China adds the MSC ecolabel to its sustainable seafood menu

June 15, 2023 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

McDonald’s China and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) have announced that the restaurant chain will now include the blue MSC ecolabel on McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish sandwich, Double Fish burger and Kids Fish Fillet burger, served in more than 5,000 restaurants in China.

 
The announcement expands McDonald’s global commitment to source sustainable seafood and will give its Chinese customers confidence that the fish in these products comes from fisheries certified to the MSC’s world-leading standard for sustainable wild-capture fisheries. Recent consumer research suggests that Chinese consumers increasingly value the importance of sustainable seafood with ‘environmentally friendly or sustainably sourced’ ranking fourth in factors motivating seafood purchase in China.
 
Nearly 3,500 tonnes of MSC certified whitefish are sold in McDonald’s China every year with McDonald’s working with fish suppliers including Weidao and Tyson Foods together with the MSC.
 
This announcement comes as the MSC celebrates 10 years since it opened an office in China.  In that time, the number of MSC labelled products in the country has increased from 10 to more than 200. The MSC has also seen considerable growth in the number of Chinese supply chain companies, retailers and fisheries engaging in the MSC programme.  
 
The MSC’s Chief Executive Officer, Rupert Howes, who was in China to celebrate the launch of these products, said: “The MSC and McDonald’s have been promoting sustainable seafood together since 2011. As an important partner of the MSC, McDonald’s has brought fish products with the MSC ecolabel to consumers in Europe, the US, Japan and other countries. McDonald’s China commitment is a huge opportunity to build our partnership in this important market,  to meet the growing consumer demand for sustainable seafood in China.”
 
Ms. Gu Lei, Chief Impact Officer of McDonald’s China, said: “McDonald’s China insists on providing consumers with fresh, safe and natural high-quality ingredients, and at the same time is actively building a sustainable supply chain to reduce damage to the environment through its seafood procurement. It is a pleasure to receive the authoritative certification of MSC. This is an affirmation of McDonald’s China’s influence in the supply chain in helping to ensure the continuous supply of high-quality seafood. We will continue to help protect the vitality of the ocean.”
 
To celebrate the announcement, which was made on World Ocean Day (Thursday 8 June 2023), McDonalds Shanghai Longteng Da restaurant has been decorated to give customers an immersive ocean experience. Customers purchasing the newly MSC-labelled products will also receive a fish-shaped fortune stick made from recycled oceanic plastic (see photos).
 
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. Fisheries representing 19% of the world’s wild marine catch are engaged in its certification programme.For more information visit msc.org or visit our social media pages

Seafood Working Group urges downgrade of Thailand, Taiwan in forthcoming US Trafficking in Persons Report

June 5, 2023 — The Seafood Working Group is calling for the downgrade of Thailand and Taiwan in the forthcoming 2023 U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

The Seafood Working group is composed of 28 organizations including the International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Greenpeace USA, and the Environmental Justice Foundation that was formed to advocate for effective government policies and industry actions to end labor exploitation, illegal fishing, and overfishing in the global seafood industry.

Read the full at SeafoodSource

COOKE AQUACULTURE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR NOVA SCOTIA WILDFIRE

May 31, 2023 — The following was released by Cooke Aquaculture Inc:

Cooke Aquaculture Inc. has dispatched a convoy of equipment and supplies from New Brunswick to support the first responders working to contain the devastating wildfires in the Shelburne and Tantallon areas of Nova Scotia.

In consultation with the Nova Scotia EMO Provincial Coordination Centre and Municipal officials, Cooke has sent a fully equipped, 1-ton fire pumper truck and two tractor trailers of fire fighting equipment, which arrived in Nova Scotia this morning. The supplies include water pumps and hoses, fire fighter field kits, communications radios, tents, and a side-by-side ATV.

Yesterday, Shoreland Transport Inc., Cooke’s trucking subsidiary delivered a refrigerated tractor trailer to the Birchtown Community Centre, a staging area for EMO, to store food and beverages for fire fighters. Cooke’s barbeque trailer is currently enroute along with donated salmon burgers to be prepared by Cooke employees in partnership with a local service club.

Cooke Aquaculture is proud to employ many volunteer firefighters, many of whom are part of the effort to keep their communities safe with the fires taking place this week in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. While our employees and other first responders are bravely combatting this fire, Cooke remains in contact with municipal officials, EMO, and evacuation centres, and are ready to provide additional support as needed.

Read the full article at Cooke Aquaculture

Cooke employees and equipment helping extinguish Saint Andrews wildfire

May 30, 2023 —The following was released by Cooke Aquaculture:
Cooke Aquaculture has sent trucks, a side-by-side ATV, a support trailer with three high pressure water pumps, sixty communications radio batteries and other relief supplies to help local fire fighters extinguish an out-of-control wildfire near the Town of Saint Andrews.
 
We thank the brave local fire fighters and first responders, including nearly a dozen Cooke Aquaculture employees who are volunteer fire fighters battling the intense blaze around Saint Andrews to keep community members safe. Charlotte County is home to many of our employees, and we will be supporting any who have been displaced. 
 
Those that have been evacuated are asked not to go back to their homes until further notification. The W.C. O’Neill Arena Complex in Saint Andrews is still open for emergency services and the Red Cross is on-site for support. Emergency Update Centre news here:https://www.townofsaintandrews.ca/update-emergency-centre/

Broad alliance of seafood sustainability groups call for more international action on IUU fishing

May 26, 2023 — A group of seafood sustainability organizations is calling on national governments across the globe to take more action to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In a joint statement, SeaBOS, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) , the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST), the Global Tuna Alliance (GTA), and Sea Pact called for nations to ratify and implement the Port State Measures Agreement; fully implement the Global Record; adopt the Voluntary Transshipment Guidelines agreed in FAO; and agree to the Roadmap for Combatting IUU Fishing adopted by the Economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

39 feared dead after Chinese fishing vessel overturns in Indian Ocean

May 24, 2023 — A Chinese fishing vessel sunk in the Indian Ocean on 16 May with 39 crew onboard.

The Lu Peng Yuan Yu No 28, owned by Shandong-based Chinese state-owned fishing company  Penglai Jinglu Fishery Co, activated its emergency beacon at 5:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, 16 May amid severe weather. A combined Indian and Australian rescue effort reported up to 120-kilometer-per-hour winds and seven-meter-high waves in the area. The ship was reported overturned by a passing merchant vessel around 900 nautical miles southwest of India, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

ASEAN issues declaration protecting migrant fishers

May 18, 2023 — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) unanimously approved a declaration strengthening measures to protect migrant fishers at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on 10 May.

ASEAN is a political and economic compact that includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It previously passed the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP), but that agreement did not specifically address migrant laborers in the fishing industry.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Facing ongoing suspension, Russia threatens permanent withdrawal from ICES

May 16, 2023 — Russia is threatening to leave the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) if its suspension is not lifted.

ICES temporarily banned Russian delegates from participating in the organization’s activities in April 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the time, the organization said it had instructed its scientists and representatives “to either boycott or avoid engagement in activities where representatives of the Russian Federation are present.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

IFFO reports higher fishmeal supply, but lower demand in China

May 15, 2023 — Global fishmeal production in 2023 through March was up 36 percent year-over-year, according to IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organization.

IFFO, which tracks fishmeal production in Peru, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, the United States, Africa, and Spain, reported improved availability of raw material, bolstered by a late start to the second fishing season in the north-central area of Peru.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Fishing regulators need more transparency, ocean groups say

April 17, 2023 — Some regional fisheries management organizations that were set up by the United Nations to measure and conserve fish populations — but are difficult to hold to account — need to be more transparent about how they make their rules and regulations if fish species are to be protected and maintained for people reliant on healthy fish stocks for their livelihoods, conservation agencies and fishing industry players say.

The 50-some regional fisheries management organizations worldwide bring together local, coastal states and bigger international players to regulate how companies and countries can fish in waters worldwide in a way that best conserves populations of fish and other ocean species based on scientific evidence.

For years, these regional regulators have been accused of undemocratic practices that favor large, industrial fishers but now several conservation groups are banding together to renew calls for a culture change.

Read the full article at the Associated Press