The Good Fish Project - A Chef's Guide to Sustainable Seafood

THE GOOD FISH PROJECT

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A chef’s guide to sustainable seafood

Produced by Australian Marine Conservation Society Copyright Australian Marine Conservation Society Date of Publication February 2013 Contributors Tooni Mahto, Ingrid Neilson, Pam Allen Design Catfish Creative

THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC DEPENDS ON CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS FOR GREAT QUALITY DELICIOUS SEAFOOD. Increasingly, diners are asking restaurants and catering professionals to take an additional step and consider the sustainability of the seafood being served. So the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) has consulted with chefs and other Australian non-governmental organisations to produce this guide: THE GOOD FISH PROJECT A chef’s guide to sustainable seafood.

For more information on sustainable seafood visit THE GOOD FISH PROJECT website:

www.goodfishproject.com.au

WITH OCEANS COVERING OVER 70% OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE, OURS TRULY IS A BLUE PLANET. The health of our oceans matters. Our seas connect every continent and shape every coast. They control our climate and produce half of the oxygen we breathe.

Our oceans also provide animal protein for more than a billion people, bringing fresh, sumptuous seafood to our plates; here in Australia we each eat nearly 25kgs of seafood every year, which is amongst the highest in the developed world.

But the problem beneath the waves is that over a quarter of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited and a further half are fished as hard as they can be. But sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices ensure that the ocean habitats and seafood we love will remain for future generations.

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THE GOOD FISH PROJECT is a chef’s guide to sustainable seafood, helping you find out about what ‘sustainable seafood’ means, and what serving it can mean to your business.

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SUSTAINABILIT Y MAT T ERS 6

F.I. .H

F INDING T HE FACT S ON SUSTAINABLE F ISHING 7

F.IND OUT MORE. A BACKGROUND TO SUSTAINABLE SEAF OOD 8

I.S IT SUSTAINABLE?

HOW TO F IND OUT 11 .TART A CONV ERSAT ION W IT H F RIENDS, PEERS AND CUSTOMERS 12

H.AV E A GO. GET T ING START ED! 15 RESOURCES 16 YOU AND YOUR SUPPLIER 18

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HOW TO DE V ELOP A SUSTAINABLE SEAF OOD POLICY 20

SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS. It’s not only the health of our seas that depends on the shift towards sustainable seafood; it’s the future of the fishing industry itself – more than 200 million livelihoods worldwide depend on the seafood industry. It’s in all of our interests to have a consistent supply of seafood today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

Some pioneering chefs are leading the way in Australia, swapping some fish for better, more sustainable choices. But making the switch to sustainable needn’t be confined to the few. Check out who’s joining the sea change on the website.

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The sustainable seafood movement kicked off in the UK and USA, where restaurants and retailers have carved out niches by loudly and proudly promoting their seafood policies. We’re seeing a similar seismic shift in Australia, both with increased public awareness of where our seafood comes from and with retailers climbing aboard - in 2011, both Coles and Woolworths announced sustainable seafood sourcing policies.

t sourcing sustainable ou ab d ne er nc co en be ’ve “I it’s not just about e, m or F . w no e tim e m seafood for so t ensuring that as a ou ab s it’ , ns ea oc e th of the health keep dishing up high n ca I r ne ow nt ra au st chef and re ers. I’d encourage all om st cu y m to d oo af se quality out sustainable seafood, ab e or m t bi a t ou d fin to s ct chef w the Good Fish Proje no e’s er th d se ea pl ’m I and e restaurant business.” specifically for those in th

Kylie Kwong

FINDING THE FACTS ON SUSTAINABLE FISHING. ‘Sustainable Seafood’ doesn’t simply mean there are lots of fish swimming in the sea. Sustainable seafood encapsulates the way the fishery affects the ocean, its food chains, wildlife and more.

To break things down, THE GOOD FISH PROJECT is filleted into

F.I. .H

a simple guide to help you on your way to making better choices.

FIND OUT MORE. I S IT SUSTAINABLE? TART A CONVERSATION.

H AVE A GO.

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www.goodfishproject.com.au

THE GOOD FISH PROJECT

For your full fish feast, head to the website and browse the different sections:

FIND OUT MO

RE.

Getting informed about sustainable seafood gives you the opportunity to figure out what factors matter most to you and your business. From understanding the issues, you can begin a conversation with your seafood suppliers, think about developing your own sustainability policy and consider how to communicate your endeavours to your customers.

ALL FISH ARE NOT EQUAL The best guess is that there are well over 22,000 different species of fish swimming in the planet’s oceans. These fish inhabit all parts of the ocean, from 11kms down in the deepest depths to those we can hook on a line from the shore. And while some live their whole lives in the space of a year, others live for over 150 years. This means some species can cope with fishing pressures better than others.

FROM OCEAN TO PLATE - WILD CAUGHT OR FARMED? Is the seafood you’re serving caught from the wild? And if so, what kind of fishing gear was used to catch it? Fishing equipment impacts on the marine environment, but some more so than others. For example, trawling for fish can have different impacts on the seafloor depending on the gear used and the nature of the area.

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Farming seafood can provide wonderful ocean produce – most of the delicious Australian mussels we eat are from farms.

Yet farming fish can sometimes place pressure on our seas, because they’re fed fish products that are sourced from the ocean’s wild fish stocks. Fish farms can also experience issues with pollution and disease.

WHERE DID YOUR FISH COME FROM?

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Around 70% of the seafood consumed in Australia is imported, but the way in which fisheries are managed varies enormously from country to country. Buying Australian means you’ll probably get more information on the provenance of your fish, or look into the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody program for confidence your seafood can be traced back to a certified sustainable fishery.

I S IT SUSTAINABLE? So how do you know if the seafood you want to serve is sustainable? Luckily, a number of organisations have done the hard yards for you. These organisations cover wild caught and farmed seafood, domestic and imported produce as well as canned and packaged goods.

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Head to the website for both an explanation of how these organisations assess fisheries, and an ocean of links to resources you’ll find useful in your journey.

R S AT IO TA R T A C O N V E

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Maybe your research into sustainable seafood has raised as many questions as it has answered? Or maybe you’re clear about what matters to you and your business? Wherever you’re at, the chances are your industry colleagues are at a similar point and are looking to share thoughts and ideas.

As customers become more aware of seafood issues, they’ll be asking questions about your seafood choices. Australians care about their environment and it shows in the way they spend. In 2011, Australians spent $21.5 billion on health and sustainability products, and 90% stated they were concerned about their environment. Communicating with your customers is key to making sure they know where you stand on sustainability. Make sure your front of house staff know all about your seafood choices and how you came to make them.

There is also a section of THE GOOD FISH PROJECT website that belongs to you.

Featuring blogs and information from other chefs, use this site to discuss your journey, find out what other chefs are up to, or see if someone else has developed innovative ways of sourcing sustainable seafood

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Start the conversation, or simply read what others have to say!

THEGOOD GOODFISH FISHPROJECT PROJECT THE

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al seafood is among ““We’re lucky enough that our loc s we make today will ion the best in the world. The decis inue to enjoy the same determine whether we can cont nerations to come.” delicious seafood menu for ge

Simon Bryant

H AVE A GO. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

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By arming yourself with information about sustainable seafood, you can decide how to market your sustainability credentials to your customers and differentiate yourself from other restaurants or food businesses. You’ll not only stand out as a leader in your industry, add value to your customers experience and be helping to ensure longevity in your supply of great seafood, but you’ll also be giving the oceans a helping hand, one dish at a time.

Check out the website for some ideas on how to have a go.

RESOURCES - WHERE CAN YOU GO FOR MORE INFORMATION? A GUIDE TO WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD The information on THE GOOD FISH PROJECT website is the springboard for diving in and finding out more about sustainable seafood. There are a whole host of different non-profit organisations, industry groups and governments working to improve fisheries in Australia and the rest of the world, and if you’re interested in finding out more, here are some good pointers: You can make a differenc

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AUSTRALIAN MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (AMCS)

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Be informed. Choose your seafood wisely.

Consider its sustainabili ty and always go r bette for green where you can.

Refer to the full guide for more information.

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Worldwide demand for seafood is increasing, yet many populations of the fish we enjoy are overfished.

Overfishing, destructive fishing gear and poor aquaculture practices impact significantly on our seas.

Once considered inexhaustible, our oceans are now in a state of global crisis and they need our help.

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AMCS is an environmental charity dedicated to protecting and conserving Australia’s oceans since 1965. AMCS produces Australia’s only consumer guide to sustainable seafood.

Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide is available online, in booklet form or as a free iPhone App. The Guide assesses a range of seafood from Australia and overseas, based on available scientific literature and fisheries stock status reports.

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MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (MSC) MSC is an international independent non-profit organisation, which sets a standard for sustainable fishing. MSC’s mission is to use their ecolabel and fishery certification program to contribute to the health of the world’s oceans by: •

recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices

•

influencing the choices people make when buying seafood, and

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working with partners to transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis.

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AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (ACF) ACF partnered with the University of Technology, Sydney to develop a sustainable seafood program specific to Australian fisheries and aquaculture. So far they have assessed 16 produces in WA, SA and NSW.

Austra lia’s

Mini Sustainab Seafood Guid

Your guide to choosing seafood wisely

www.sustainableseafood

GREENPEACE AUSTRALIA CANNED TUNA GUIDE Australia’s Canned Tuna Guide ranks the top 15 brands of canned tuna available, based on sustainability and traceability. The Tuna Guide is online or features as part of the AMCS Sustainable Seafood iPhone app.

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d.org.au

SFP is an international non-government association established to improve commercial fishing and aquaculture practices by working with those in the private sector that support sustainable seafood. SFP harnesses the buying power of companies to catalyse change amongst producers via partnerships aimed at pursuing sustainability.

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND MARKET TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE WWF has partnered with a number of leading business in the seafood industry to improve the sustainability of their seafood supply, and educate consumers about sustainable seafood choices, including Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

FROM THE GOVERNMENT The Commonwealth and most of the States and the Northern Territory governments produce fishery status reports. These are an overview of the health of the stocks managed by each jurisdiction, and contain information on which are overfished, which are subject to overfishing and which are in good shape.

For links to non-profit organisations, industry bodies and government reports, head to www.goodfishproject.com.au

THE GOOD FISH PROJECT

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SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP (SFP)

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YOU AND YOUR SUPPLIER The relationship between you and your seafood supplier is crucial not only in maintaining a consistent supply of quality produce to serve your customers, but also in providing a link between you and the fishers who are out on the water catching that fresh seafood.

Talk to your supplier about your motivation to start your sustainable seafood journey.

A good starting point is to ask your seafood supplier the following questions.

1. Is this species overfished?

2. How was it caught or farmed?

3. What can you tell me about the biology/ life cycle of the fish?

4. Where is it from?

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If they don’t know the answer then and there, ask them to find out for next time.

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5. Is it listed as a ‘better choice’ in the AMCS seafood guide, or is it MSC certified?

HOW TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY If you’re interested in developing your own sustainable seafood sourcing policy, it might help to set some goals. Maybe the starting point is changing one item on your seafood menu from an overfished species to one that is in better shape, choosing a species ranked as a ‘Better Choice’ in AMCS’s Sustainable Seafood Guide, or start selling an MSC certified product. It’s a great story to tell your customers and then keep them updated when you add new menu items as you work towards your seafood being sourced from sustainable fisheries.

Take a look online at the steps outlined to help you achieve your sustainable seafood goals, as well as an example of the kind of sourcing table you can develop with your supplier to keep track of your progress.

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So with the first steps towards sustainable seafood outlined in this booklet, you might be interested in finding out more. There’s a whole feast of information online at www.goodfishproject.com.au, as well as a smorgasbord of links to useful web resources.

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