Environmental Defense Releases Business Guide To Sustainable Seafood

(11 December, 2002 — Boston)  According to a new report issued today by Environmental Defense’s Alliance for Environmental Innovation, environmental sustainability and business success can go hand in hand for corporate seafood buyers.  Through extensive research, the report, entitled Business Guide To Sustainable Seafood, shows that while some seafood products have major environmental problems, a wide variety of high quality, competitively priced, and environmentally responsible products are available.

“Seventy percent of world fish stocks are fully exploited or overfished, and catches are declining,” said Bruce Hammond, project manager at Environmental Defense.  “Our research shows that, while some species are overfished, businesses and consumers can make more sustainable seafood selections that are similar in taste and texture, often lower in cost, and provide greater supply stability.”

For example, Atlantic cod, which is overfished, can be replaced in many applications by other mild white fish such as New Zealand hoki or farmed tilapia - at substantial cost savings.  Chilean sea bass is also being over-fished and caught illegally, but sablefish offers a comparable flaky white meat and high oil content at a fraction of the cost.

The report highlights several potential business benefits from sustainable seafood purchasing—from good public relations and lower costs to better quality and more predictable supply.

The report, available at www.environmentaldefense.org/alliance asks businesses to switch to environmentally preferable seafood products, promote sustainable seafood products as a good way to grow their business and preserve fishery resources, and educate consumers about the overexploitation of fisheries and the alternative choices available to them.

The Alliance for Environmental Innovation, a project of Environmental Defense, works cooperatively with companies to create environmental solutions that make business sense.