Saving Seafood

Baltic Cod Fishermen Get Better Quotas Than Science Wants

October 11th, 2016 — With Baltic cod drawing closer to the edge of commercial extinction, the European Union on Monday set tougher catch quotas for fishermen but stayed well above targets sought by scientists and environmentalists.

After all-day negotiations in Luxembourg, the EU fisheries ministers agreed on a 56 percent quota cut for the western Baltic cod caught off Denmark and Germany, while scientists were pushing for the quota to be cut by about 90 percent.

Officials said Denmark was pushing hard to safeguard the livelihood of its fishermen to make sure there was enough that they would still be allowed to catch.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella had been seeking a reduction of 88 percent “to bring back the stock to sustainability as soon as possible” but also had to compromise to keep member states on board for a unanimous decision.

“After listening to the member states’ arguments, and the impacts on the different fleets and in particular on artisanal fleets, I have accepted a lower reduction,” Vella said, insisting it would still give the species a good chance of survival in the Baltic waters.

The EU has agreed to revamp its fishing policies to protect dozens of species from commercial extinction, and by 2020 all fish must be sustainably caught. Member states, however, have a long tradition of rejecting scientific advice and instead sought the best deal possible for the industry, not for the survival of the fish. Over the years, it has driven many species to the edge of a full collapse, and instead of being plentiful, like cod in the Atlantic and North Sea and Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, they became threatened species.

It is now the same for cod in the western Baltic and tough quota reductions are needed. Some environmentalists have called for a total closing of those fisheries.

Read the full story at The New York Times 

Largest US fishery (Alaska Pollock) proves it’s sustainable, again

January 14, 2016 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

Seattle, WA – The largest fishery in the U.S. and the largest certified sustainable fishery in the world1, Alaska Pollock has again achieved re-certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. This science-based standard is the world’s most credible and recognized standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood. The Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska Pollock fisheries have been certified to this standard since 2005.

Alaska Pollock is among the top five most consumed fish per capita in the U.S2. Its mild flavor and flaky texture make it popular for consumers around the world. Primary markets for Alaska Pollock products are the U.S., Europe (where it is Germany’s most consumed fish) and Japan. The U.S. and Europe are the main markets for fillet-type products, which are used for fish and chips, fish tacos, fish sandwiches and fish sticks. Japan is the principal market for Alaska pollock surimi, which is used as the primary ingredient in a wide range of surimi seafood products (kamaboko).

Jim Gilmore, At-sea Processors Association, the fishery client for the Alaska Pollock reassessment emphasizes, “We are proud to be one of the 10 fisheries globally to be certified as meeting the MSC’s rigorous sustainability standard three times. Alaska Pollock continues to earn among the highest certification scores of any fishery in the MSC program. This re-certification reaffirms the Alaska Pollock industry’s continued leadership in responsible fishing.”

The 2016 Alaska Pollock season will begin on January 20. A federal fishery advisory body, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, recommended to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce a precautionary 1.34 million metric ton annual quota for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, which is several hundred thousand tons less than federal fishery scientists determined can be sustainably harvested. The Gulf of Alaska Pollock fishery is set at 257,872 metric tons, a 30% increase from the 2015 quota and within the safe harvest level determined by federal fishery scientists. 

Pat Shanahan, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, the marketing trade association for Alaska Pollock said: “The fishery management system is known for its conservative management practices, so these quota increases indicate an exceptionally healthy Alaska Pollock fishery in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Seafood buyers and consumers can rest assured that Alaska Pollock is one of the world’s largest and most sustainable fisheries.”

The internationally recognized blue MSC ecolabel will continue to assure consumers that Alaska Pollock products can be traced back to a certified sustainable source. 

Brian Perkins, MSC regional director – Americas, said: “The MSC’s vision is for oceans to be teeming with life for future generations. Alaska Pollock has successfully created and maintained new markets, especially in the U.S. and Europe, over the past decade. We are extremely pleased to see this fishery succeed in the MSC process yet again.”

The independent assessment of the Alaska Pollock fisheries was conducted by MRAG Americas, an accredited third-party conformity assessment body. MRAG Americas assembled a team of fishery science and policy experts to evaluate the fishery according to the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard: the health of the stock; the impact of fishing on the marine environment; and the management of the fishery. The MSC process is open to stakeholders and all results are peer reviewed.

Bottom fishing banned in Danish marine parks

October 7, 2015 — Denmark, Germany and Sweden will stop all fishing activities over highly sensitive ‘bubbling’ reefs and will also end fishing with damaging bottom gear over reefs in protected Danish waters of the Baltic Sea and Kattegat.

This follows a new EU regulation – jointly recommended by Denmark, Germany and Sweden – which bans fishing activities in 10 Natura 2000 protected sites, although the fisheries restrictions only apply to specific reef zones within these areas.

Read the full story at World Fishing & Aquaculture

German Court Overturns City’s Ban on Fish Pedicures

July 16, 2015– BERLIN (AP) — A German court says a city can’t refuse a cosmetic salon permission to offer pedicures using fish because of animal welfare concerns.

The pedicures involve using fish to nibble dead skin off people’s feet. City authorities in Cologne had argued that using fish in a spa wasn’t ethically compatible with animal protection.

However, the city’s administrative court ruled Thursday those concerns must be balanced with the plaintiff’s professional freedom.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The New York Times