Sustainable Seafood

We are working towards consumer and retailer access to properly labelled sustainable seafood choices that support locally owned and operated fisheries where possible.

Why is this important?

EAC has worked on local and sustainable food, in the terrestrial environment and marine environments for almost a decade. Consumer pressure, and market demands are an important avenue for promoting change in our food systems. However, at the restaurant table or in the seafood isle of the grocery store it is often impossible, or extremely difficult for consumers to access and chose sustainable selections Seafood labels rarely include where or how a fish was caught and often have incorrect information on the species of fish that is being sold.

Many large retailers in North America and Europe have made commitments to source sustainable seafood. While this is commendable, it is largely a commitment to buy from large industrial fisheries that have been deemed sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. MSC focuses on largely management measures, and has certified fisheries that have been objected to by many conservation organizations. Currently, the MSC does not take into account any socio-economic issues related to the fishery, and as such small scale fisheries are often left out and not supported by the MSC.

The terrestrial food movement has gained widescale support for farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture and other such models that link the consumer directly with the farmer. We feel that these models are missing from the seafood sector, and would fill an important and much needed niche for small scale fishers, who fish sustainably and deserve a fair price for their catch. The EAC works with fishermen, seafood buyers and distributors, retailers and restaurants to separate, correctly label and celebrate local sustainable seafood choices.

Recent Successes and Initiatives

SeaChoice, launched in the fall of 2006, is a joint project of the Living Oceans Society (LOS), David Suzuki Foundation (DSF), Canadian Parks and Wilderness (CPAWS) BC, and Sierra Club BC. SeaChoice has partnerships with several large retailers and works with other organizations through the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.

In 2008, a consistent supply of hook and line groundfish was made available in several locations in Nova Scotia, with clear labelling as to how the fish was caught. This was made possible through our work with George Cunningham, and his company Alyssa SeaFoods.

As part of our sustainable seafood work, we collaborate directly with fishing communities and fishermen to help them strategize around marketing of products that are sustainably harvested, such as hook and line groundfish, harpooned swordfish and trap caught shrimp. We completed a direct marketing study and launched the Off the Hook Community Supported Fishery in 2010, which was an important milestone for this work.

We have several core program activities, that include participating as an also participating as an active stakeholder on the MSC assessment process for any Atlantic Canadian fisheries. We continue to work to integrate local and sustainable seafood in local food initiatives through involvement and alliances at the Nova Scotia Food Summit, Nova Scotia Food Security Network and the Peoples Food Policy Project.