| Emily Howgates writes: Sustainability is crucial in maintaining a long and healthy future for marine life, and also for our own society - reliant as we are on Neptune's realm for food and livelihoods. Seafood sustainability has gained increasing momentum in recent years; starting as a ripple, this wave of change now encompasses the energy of many leaders from across fishing and fish-farming industries, the seafood business sector, media and NGOs. Improvements in how fish reach our tables have so far focused around environmental aspects of seafood - the abundance of fish populations, in addition to the different capture or farming methods used and their impact on surrounding marine life. These environmental issues are fundamental, but as stakeholders work together to create positive change in these areas, what wider issues are emerging? Here we begin to think about some of the upcoming challenges. These issues have already captured the interest of some forward-thinkers in the seafood industry and conservation communities. Now a golden opportunity exists for these stakeholders and their peers to collectively build upon the progress made over the past decade, and to widen the sourcing of responsible seafood to encompass the following issues.
Global climate change and ocean acidification - a process related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that causes sea water to become more acidic - have strong implications for marine life and the people who rely upon it. While the exact impacts of changing climate and acidification are not yet fully understood, what we do know is that not everyone will be equally affected. The seafood sector is expected to be disproportionately impacted. This industry is responsible for a relatively small percentage of global GHG emissions, yet its reliance on marine resources means it is highly susceptible to the adverse effect of temperature and acidity change.
Changes in water temperatures and acidity can affect species distribution and survival. A 2009 report from the UK's Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) indicates that(link) acidification could reduce the growth and survival of marine life and reduce marine animals ability to make shells and skeletons (calcification). Some studies have forecast that ocean water will become ‘corrosive' to organisms between 2050 and 2100. These impacts, along with climate-induced range shifts in distribution of commercial fish stocks, could affect commercial fishing and aquaculture (particularly shellfish) productivity.
The MCCIP report cites an example; a 10 to 25 percent reduction in shellfish growth/calcification due to ocean acidification (estimated to occur around 2050) would result in a 10 to 25 percent reduction of UK shellfish landings, equating to a financial loss of £24.4 - £61 million per year (based on 2006 Defra figures) and 1000 - 3000 potential job losses. Implications such as these look set to be similar for shellfish aquaculture also. (link).
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Seafood Choices Alliance is an international program of SeaWeb that provides leadership and creates opportunities for change across the seafood industry and ocean conservation community. We're about synergies and identifying creative solutions to long-held challenges. By building relationships and stimulating dialogue, Seafood Choices is encouraging and challenging all sectors of the seafood industry along the road toward sustainability.
Emily Howgate, SeaWeb's Seafood Choices Alliance spokeswoman talks about the future for Seafood.
In light of climate change and acidification, it is prescient for the seafood sector to take responsibility for reducing their own GHG emissions. In addition, these cosmopolitan issues present added impetus for all involved in seafood to further improve the health of our fisheries to ensure their resilience - as environmental stressors, such as overfishing, will inhibit marine life's ability to adapt to any coming climate and acidity changes
Beyond this internal responsibility the seafood sector also has the opportunity to mitigate impacts externally. While the seafood industry may be disproportionately affected by climate issues, it also has the power to create disproportional positive change. By tapping into their sector's ability to influence wider business practice and policy, seafood stakeholders have a chance to catalyse much greater mitigation of climate change. Leveraging this ripple effect is perhaps the industry's greatest opportunity - and, given that time is of the essence, greatest challenge. Tackling climate change and ocean acidification allows the industry to take a proactive role in protecting their businesses and way of life.
Social aspects of sustainability have not received much attention within the seafood sector. Yet there are some existing leaders taking increasing notice of these issues.
Fish4Ever is a company that has taken a more comprehensive approach to responsible sourcing. Founder Charles Redfern states that "fair pay, fair working conditions and community support are
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critical factors in Fish4Ever's vision of real sustainability - and these are ideals that we have embodied in our operating practices."
Elsewhere, signs of change are beginning to show in the industry. The Fairtrade Foundation are entering the marine arena and are now actively pursuing the possibility of Fairtrade certification for seafood. So much of our seafood comes from developing countries and now it seems some of this could bear the Fairtrade mark within a few years. The general public and media are also taking note of social issues and seafood, which can help catalyse change in the industry. Recent programs such as the BBC TV series, Blood, Sweat and Takeaways (link) , uses the popular format of reality television to shine a light on the social conditions in some Asian canned tuna and farmed prawn production.
Marine debris is not something traditionally considered within the seafood sector but this type of pollution affects the health of fish and fisheries. In 2009, the Marine Conservation Society’s (link) annual UK Beachwatch survey found plastic to be the most prevalent and problematic debris. Debris harms marine life through ingestion and entanglement, and it can also directly damage fishing equipment and contaminate catches. Plastic never degrades; it’s simply broken down into smaller and smaller pieces, but even micro-granules of plastic can have consequences for our seafood supply, and human health, as they accumulate chemical pollution which can then enter our food chain via fish. Some innovative projects, such as the Fishing for Litter, (link) scheme in the North Sea, are targeting the problem of marine debris. Looking forward, other schemes like this may begin to emerge and perhaps, as with climate change, the seafood sector here has an opportunity to use their influence to create wider change.
The 2010 Seafood Summit (link) to be held in Paris (organised by SeaWeb's Seafood Choices Alliance) looks set to feature approaching sustainability challenges, such as those mentioned here, as a key part of the dialogue. Through the theme ‘Challenging Assumptions in a Changing World' - and against a backdrop of changing environmental, political and economic climates - stakeholders will discuss emerging threats to marine health and the seafood industry, and are invited to question current thinking and explore creative tactics to address the challenges our oceans face.
SeaWeb, founded in 1996 to raise awareness of the growing threats to the ocean and its living resources, utilizes social marketing techniques to advance ocean conservation. By increasing public awareness, promoting science-based solutions and mobilizing decision-makers around ocean conservation, SeaWeb has brought together multiple, diverse and powerful voices for a healthy ocean. http://www.seaweb.org/. |
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