sustainable seafood coalition · 6. require fishers, where possible, to collect catch and discard...

Sustainable Seafood Coalition

3rd November 2011

Seafish Aquaculture Common Issues Group

Overview of the SSC

VISION: All fish and seafood sold in the

UK is from sustainable sources.

HOW: Using voluntary industry codes of conduct

SSC Vision

1. promote sustainable fish and seafood consumption;

2. encourage UK consumers to eat a wider variety of sustainable seafood, and to introduce species to our stores and restaurants that are currently underutilised or discarded;

3. develop minimum standards for sustainable seafood sourcing policies and decision trees;

4. support the sustainable use of unwanted discard species’ trimmings and offal in the manufacture of fishmeal;

5. use harmonised seafood labelling based on agreed standards, in order to provide consumers with accurate information on sustainability;

SSC Aims

6. require fishers, where possible, to collect catch and discard information for the fish and shellfish sourced by Coalition members and pass this information to government authorities for use in scientific assessments;

7. influence changes in policy at UK, EU and international level;

8. build national and global alliances;

9. inform the public debate on seafood;

10. adhere to the new voluntary industry codes of conduct agreed by the Coalition until sufficient management measures and labelling rules are in place.

Sustainable Seafood

Coalition

Consistent and clear labelling

Agreed sourcing standards

Discard reduction and data collection

Promoting diversification

SSC - what is it about?

Seafish Discard Action Group

Consumer

Celebrity chef

Supplier/

retailer

Food

service

Fishmeal use

SSC - cross-industry approach

The Sustainable Seafood Coalition

SSC - governance

SSC industry

members

Working group Sustainable

sourcing

Working group Discards and

data

Working group Labelling

Non-industry advisors

Decision-making

Developing

Proposals

Advising &

consulting

GLOBALG.A.P.

ISO Type-II

ISO Type-I

Labelling – a confusing landscape

‘Irish Sea Cod’ (No claim)

=

‘Responsibly sourced’ (Fishery Improvement Project)

=

‘Sustainably fished’ (Hasting Dover Sole, Herring and Mackerel)

= +

‘Responsibly farmed’ (Organic/GAA/GlobalGAP)

=

Labelling - Hypothetical Examples

Agreement on use of images

Agreement on terms not to use

Agreement on terms for aquaculture

Labelling – Other Aspects

Diversification Code - Aims

Consumers are currently focusing mainly on the “Big Five” species, putting great pressure on them.

There is currently little market for a wealth of

available alternatives, both wild and farmed

• The SSC will aim to encourage UK consumers to eat a wider variety of sustainable seafood, and introduce species to our stores and restaurants that are currently underutilised or discarded.

Species Diversification – Encouraging Consumers

Channel 4 Fish Inspiration

www.fishfight.net

Hugh’s ‘Mackerel Bap’ Post-Fishfight Seafood Sales

Sainsbury’s ‘Switch the Fish’

M&S ‘Forever Fish’

The SSC aims to set a minimum standard for sourcing policies for its members

This will include farmed policies

This ties in with the SSC aim to support the use of trimmings and offal in fishmeal

Sustainable Sourcing Policies

Potential to Expand in the EU

What: Action-oriented coalition

Who: Cross-industry membership

• retailers/suppliers

• celebrity chefs

• food service

• Fish feed and pet food

When: Now, independent of CFP reform

Where: UK (pilot) + possible expansion to EU

How: Fill legislative gaps using voluntary codes, i.e.

• code on self-declared environmental labels

• code on species diversification

• code on sustainable sourcing policies

Summary

Contact details

Sandy Luk Biodiversity Lawyer t +44 (0)207 749 5977 e sluk@clientearth.org

Melissa Pritchard Marine Scientist t +44 (0)203 030 5950 e mpritchard@clientearth.org

Rachel Bower SSC Intern t +44 (0)203 030 5956 e rbower@clientearth.org

Thank You

Offices

Brussels

4ème Etage

36 Avenue de Tervueren

Bruxelles 1040

Belgium

London

274 Richmond Road

London E8 3QW

UK

Warsaw

Aleje Ujazdowskie 39/4

00-540 Warszawa

Poland

www.clientearth.org/sustainable-seafood-coalition