Seafood Sustainability
There is growing concern about world seafood stocks and FDF members are
sensitive to the need for food companies to source fish in a way that is sustainable.
They actively support the many joint industry programmes underway in this
important
area, such as the Marine Stewardship Council, and adhere strictly to legal
requirements, such as the EU Regulation on Illegal Unreported and Unregulated
Fishing.
Sourcing of seafood is global in nature, with nearly two thirds of all fish
consumed in the European Union imported from outside the community. This figure
rises
to 90% for the traditional whitefish species the UK consumer enjoys most.
Because
of this, FDF members work hard all over the world to ensure the fish
they
buy and
process is responsibly sourced in an environmentally sound
manner
from
well-managed and sustainable stock. We also work with suppliers in
developing
countries,
providing them with assistance and guidance to ensure
they,
too,
operate in a
sustainable manner. Procuring seafood in this way
helps
protect
stocks
of species
popular with UK consumers and the
livelihoods of
fisherman and
fish
farmers who rely
upon their local marine habitat
for income.
Last reviewed: 14 Apr 2008