Saving Seafood

Divers uncover ‘illegal scallop dredging’ in Scottish marine protected area

February 7, 2018 — A team of divers claims to have uncovered evidence of illegal scallop dredging in a protected area on the west coast of Scotland, reports the BBC.

Broken shells, dislodged boulders and fresh scallop meat were all filmed on the seabed in the Firth of Lorn.

Environmental group Open Seas said it showed that marine protected areas (MPAs), where fishing with gear is banned, are not effectively policed.

“Illegal dredging is unfortunately not a rare event, fisheries sources have told us they have had multiple reports of illegal activity in this site over the past year,” said Phil Taylor, head of policy for Open Seas.

“Meanwhile, supply chain traceability only goes as far as to a vessel in port, meaning customers and businesses within the supply chain are not able to determine where their scallops are coming from – including whether that is inside an MPA or not,” said Taylor.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Was Your Seafood Caught With Slave Labor? New Database Helps Retailers Combat Abuse

February 1, 2018 — The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, known best for its red, yellow and green sustainable seafood-rating scheme, is unveiling its first Seafood Slavery Risk Tool on Thursday. It’s a database designed to help corporate seafood buyers assess the risk of forced labor, human trafficking and hazardous child labor in the seafood they purchase.

The tool’s release comes on the heels of a new report that confirms forced labor and human rights abuses remain embedded in Thailand’s fishing industry, years after global media outlets first documented the practice.

The 134-page report by Human Rights Watch shows horrific conditions continue. That’s despite promises from the Thai government to crack down on abuses suffered by mostly migrants from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia — and despite pressure from the U.S. and European countries that purchase much of Thailand’s seafood exports. (Thailand is the fourth-largest seafood exporter in the world).

For U.S. retailers and seafood importers, ferreting slavery out of the supply chain has proved exceedingly difficult. Fishing occurs far from shore, often out of sight, while exploitation and abuse on vessels stem from very complex social and economic dynamics.

“Companies didn’t know how to navigate solving the problem,” says Sara McDonald, Seafood Watch project manager for the Slavery Risk Tool.

The new Seafood Watch database, which took two years to design, assigns slavery risk ratings to specific fisheries and was developed in collaboration with Liberty Asia and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. Like Seafood Watch’s color-coded ratings, the Seafood Slavery Risk Tool aims to keep it simple — a set criteria determines whether a fishery will earn a critical, high, moderate or low risk rating.

A “critical risk” rating, for example, means credible evidence of forced labor or child labor has been found within the fishery itself. Albacore, skipjack and yellowfin tuna caught by the Taiwanese fleet gets a critical risk rating. A “low risk” fishery, like Patagonian toothfish in Chile (also known as Chilean seabass), is one with good regulatory protections and enforcement, with no evidence of abuses in related industries.

Read the full story at National Public Radio

 

Love Canned Tuna? More Grocers Want To Make Sure It Was Caught Responsibly

March 24, 2017 — For the last 20 years, Americans have been having a conversation about sustainable seafood that was largely focused on fish purchased at restaurants or fresh seafood counters. Armed with seafood guides, thoughtful customers were encouraged to pose questions about where their fish was caught and what type of gear was used — questions that are far trickier to pose in front of a wall of canned tuna in the middle of a supermarket.

While tuna poke may be winning over American palates today, our consumption of fresh tuna is still dwarfed by our collective appetite for the canned stuff. According to the National Fisheries Institute, Americans ate more than 700 million pounds of canned tuna in 2015. That’s 2.2 pounds per person, enough to keep it firmly among the top three seafood items Americans consume, a ranking held for more than a decade.

Unlike the sustainability conversations we tend to have over farmed vs. wild salmon — or on issues like bycatch, mangrove destruction or human slavery that swirl around shrimp — the hand-wringing over canned tuna has largely been focused on contaminants like mercury, rather than fishing methods or the health of fish stocks.

A handful of retailers are about to change that.

Last Wednesday Whole Foods Market announced that by January 2018, all canned tuna sold in its stores or used in its prepared foods departments will be sourced from fisheries that use only pole-and-line, troll or handline catch methods that eliminate bycatch (accidental harvest of other fish, birds or mammals) because fishermen are catching tuna one at a time.

The new Whole Foods’ policy also requires canned tuna products to come from fisheries that are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or are sourced from fisheries rated green (best choice) or yellow (good alternative) by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Safina Center. And Whole Foods has included a traceability requirement as well.

Read the full story from NPR

Whole Foods’ New Canned Tuna Policy: Only Pole-and-Line, Troll, or Handline Caught Tuna By 2018

March 20, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — By January 2018, all canned tuna sold at Whole Foods Market must come from fisheries using only pole-and-line, troll, or handline catch methods, all of which take fish one by one, preventing bycatch and creating more jobs in coastal communities.

Whole Foods Market is the first national retailer to create such stringent standards for canned tuna, which is among the three most consumed seafood items in the United States.

The policy’s aim is to reduce overfishing and bycatch, and support fishing communities. The new sourcing policy includes canned tuna items sold in the grocery aisle as well as the prepared foods department.

Whole Food’s new canned tuna policy requires that the fisheries be certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or rated green or yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Safina Center.

Every supplier must also use Trace Register, traceability software that tracks each lot of tuna at every point from vessel to can. The traceability data are continuously crosschecked to help verify sourcing and prevent illegally caught or unauthorized fish from entering the supply chain.

“We created this new policy for canned tuna because we want to lead by example in sourcing only the highest quality, sustainably caught tuna,” said Carrie Brownstein, global seafood quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market.

“Combined with better international fishery management, overfishing and bycatch can be greatly reduced when tuna is caught by these low-impact fishing methods. We are honored to be working with suppliers and partners who are driving positive change.”

Leading brands that already source canned tuna from one-by-one fisheries, including 365 Everyday Value®, American Tuna, Pole and Line, Henry and Lisa’s, and Wild Planet, are updating their operations to meet the policy’s traceability requirements. These measures will also help importers get ahead of the traceability provisions in NOAA’s Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which has a deadline for mandatory compliance by Jan. 1, 2018.

Over the coming months, remaining suppliers will shift their operations and fishing practices to use the approved one-by-one catch methods, which are more environmentally friendly and offer more employment opportunities for fishermen worldwide.

“Since America is the largest canned tuna market in the world, shifts toward greater sustainability in this category can create a meaningful, positive impact on our oceans and our global fishing communities,” said Adam Baske, director of policy and outreach for International Pole and Line Foundation. “In some cases, these one-by-one fisheries are one of very few sources of local employment. The boats also make relatively short trips, enabling crews to return home frequently, compared to large industrial tuna vessels that may spend multiple months or even years at sea.”

Whole Foods Market’s new canned tuna policy expands on the retailer’s existing sustainability standards for fresh and frozen seafood, which also require that all seafood must either be certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or rated green or yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Safina Center. Additionally, all of the retailer’s farmed seafood must meet its industry-leading aquaculture standards, which include third-party on-site audits.

In 2016, Whole Foods Market introduced the retailer’s first Fair Trade certified yellowfin tuna, a designation which ensures better wages and working conditions for fishermen, and provides additional funding to their communities for improvement projects and investments. Fair Trade certification also verifies full supply chain traceability.

These continual advancements in policies and sourcing are part of Whole Foods Market’s mission to create a model that moves the seafood industry toward greater sustainability.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission. 

Fallout from Revelations of Slavery in Hawaii Fishing Industry

October 14th, 2016 — AP recently reported on suspected labor exploitation in Hawaii’s multi-million-dollar fishing industry, prompting a robust response from advocacy organizations, businesses, and legislators. Documenting the hardships of 770 foreign workers confined to Hawaiian fishing boats almost year-round, AP brought attention to a troubling legal loophole in Hawaii’s labor statutes: Hawaiian fishing boats are precluded by state legislation from federal regulations guaranteeing federal labor protections.

As a consequence of this legal loophole, examples of labor exploitation abound—including seizure of identity documents, severe underpayment, deplorable safety and hygiene conditions, and insurmountable debt from recruitment fees and contract-breach.

Whole Foods responded to the revelations by dropping goods from the Hawaii fish auction from their three Hawaii stores until there is suitable proof that no labor exploitation exists in the supply chain. Other smaller businesses followed suit, expressing similar sentiments about rooting out all instances of labor exploitation and trafficking in delivery of goods.

On the day the report was published, members of the Hawaiian Longline Association, fishing vessel owners, and the Hawaii Seafood Council formed a task force to oversee rectifying the allegations of labor exploitation. The task force drafted a contract in response to the critical report, requiring signature from all owners by October 1st in order to continue selling fish at the Hawaii fish auction. The contract purportedly protects workers from further exploitation by guaranteeing certain hiring and workplace practices will be adopted.

The contract however still lets owners set the minimum salary, allows workers to spend the entire year at sea (15 trips, 10 to 40 days each), and still requires workers to stay on board while the boat owner holds their identity and immigration documents. The contract under scrutiny is shown to be little more than a good will gesture, rather than a consequential path to ensuring proper treatment of foreign workers in this industry.

Read the full story at Human Rights First

Hawaii lawmakers promise reform for confined fishermen

September 19th, 2016 — State and federal lawmakers are promising to improve conditions for hundreds of foreign fishermen working in Hawaii’s commercial fleet, and at least one company has already stopped buying fish from the boats following an Associated Press investigation that found the men have been confined to vessels for years without basic labor protections.

Whole Foods halted buying seafood caught by foreign crew until it’s clear the men are treated fairly. On Sunday, the Hawaii Seafood Council said that starting Oct. 1, the Honolulu Fish Auction will sell fish only from boats that have adopted a new, standardized contract aimed at assuring no forced labor exists on board.

The AP report found commercial fishing boats in Honolulu were crewed by men from impoverished Southeast Asia and Pacific Island nations who catch prized swordfish, ahi tuna and other seafood sold at markets and upscale restaurants across the country. A legal loophole allows them to work on the American-owned, American-flagged boats without visas as long as they don’t set foot on shore. The system is facilitated by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection.

While many men appreciate the jobs, which pay better than they could get back home, the report revealed instances of human trafficking, tuberculosis and food shortages. It also found some fishermen being forced to defecate in buckets, suffering running sores from bed bugs and being paid as little as 70 cents an hour.

On Capitol Hill, Hawaii’s congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, all Democrats — said they were exploring legislative solutions after being startled by the findings about the state’s $110 million industry, which ranks fifth among the country’s highest-grossing fisheries.

“It is completely unacceptable that the inhumane treatment of any workers, foreign or not, is legal under U.S. federal law,” Hirono said in a statement.

In Honolulu, state Rep. Kaniela Ing, chair of the Ocean, Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs committee, asked state Attorney General Doug Chin to weigh in on whether boat owners should be regulated under Hawaii rules. If so, Ing said there would likely be an injunction ordered to halt labor or business violations. If not, he said he would introduce legislation to protect the workers, who labor up to 22 hours a day.

Read full story from The Missourian

Whole Foods drops Hawaii fish auction until it proves fair boat labor

September 14, 2016 — Whole Foods has suspended buying fish from the Hawaii fish auction amid concerns over the labor practices of some fishing vessels.

It’s an issue Always Investigating first reported on back in 2013 and is now getting national attention.

Fishermen describe horrid working conditions, rock bottom pay, and even allegations of international crew captivity aboard some of the boats that dock at Honolulu Harbor.

Industry watchers say the Whole Foods move could be just the first of many, and the fish auction is already working on a system to weed out vessels with unfair labor practices.

Telling Always Investigating they have “zero tolerance for human rights abuses,” Whole Foods said Tuesday: “We have suspended purchases of the small amount of fish we source from the Hawaiian seafood auction until we can ensure the working conditions on these boats align with our core values.”

Whole Foods may call it “small,” but it’s a big deal down on the docks.

“We’d hate to lose such a prominent customer as Whole Foods,” said United Fishing Agency’s auction manager Michael Goto. “To rekindle that relationship, to get them back on board saying we respect the Hawaii fleet enough that we can bring their product back into our stores and sell it to our customers with confidence, that’s our goal.”

Sources say other major retailers are weighing the same move.

“We hope that Whole Foods’ action to directly address the labor abuses will start a domino effect,” said Kathryn Xian of the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery.

Read the full story at KHON 

MASSACHUSETTS: Marine Stewardship Council to host sustainability event

August 16, 2016 — WOBURN, Mass. — The Marine Stewardship Council’s Good Catch! campaign will make a stop in town 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Aug. 27 at Whole Foods, 400 Cambridge Road, Woburn. Consumers will have an opportunity to win Whole Foods gift certificates while learning about sustainable fishing in New England and protecting the environment by purchasing sustainable seafood products.

New England consumers’ affinity for fresh seafood is renowned, and the region benefits from a concentration of certified sustainable fisheries, which work to protect fish stocks, ecosystems and local fishing communities; however, consumer awareness of the abundant sustainable seafood offerings from area sellers remains low.

The Marine Stewardship Council, an international nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding the seafood supply, launched the Good Catch! campaign to educate New England consumers about identifying sustainable seafood products. The campaign is hosting events at Whole Foods and Big Y grocery stores, which feature MSC at their fresh fish counters, in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The MSC label on a seafood product means that it comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC’s standard for environmentally sustainable fishing. More than 280 fisheries in over 35 countries are certified to the MSC’s standard.

“As consumers are developing greater awareness of their impact on the world, they are demanding more ways to validate that the products they buy support their values,” said Brian Perkins, MSC Americas regional director. “You should have confidence that what you are buying really is what it says it is and that it originates from a sustainable source. The blue MSC label ensures that the seafood was caught wild, using methods that don’t deplete the natural supply or come at the expense of other ocean life.”

Read the full story at Wicked Local Woburn

Whole Foods Market to sell invasive lionfish starting Wednesday

May 26, 2016 — Whole Foods is set to sell fresh lionfish in seafood departments, hoping to take a bite out of the non-native, invasive species hurting Florida’s offshore reefs.

Starting Wednesday, 26 Florida Whole Foods stores will begin selling the whole delicate white fish for $8.99 a pound through May 31. The fish will be priced at $9.99 per pound starting June 1.

The economically-priced fish, which has 18 venomous spines, is safe to consume once the spines have been removed. “Once caught and placed on ice, the lionfish physically cannot release venom from the gland, ensuring safe consumption for shoppers,” says the release. The flesh is not poisonous.

Read the full story at the Sun Sentinel

Portland Press Herald: Maine would benefit from seafood traceability

April 12, 2016 — The Gulf of Maine brand can also be used to introduce consumers to underused species, such as dogfish, that are numerous in the region, and will likely become more so as sea temperatures continue to rise.

There are traceability programs for lobster, too, such as Trace My Lobster, a Whole Foods initiative launched in Maine that uses coded tags to allow consumers to find out when and where a lobster was caught, and even who caught it.

It’s important for the industry to be able to tell the story behind the lobster – that’s part of the reason people seek out the Maine product. It is also crucial that what is being sold as fresh, Maine lobster lives up to its billing.

But not everyone is playing by the rules.

See the full editorial at the Portland Press Herald

Learn more about sustainability and traceability efforts in the US seafood industry here.