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Sustainable Seafood Found to Be Cost Effective
BOSTON, Massachusetts,
December 12, 2002 (ENS)
Corporate seafood buyers can make money and protect ocean resources by selecting sustainably caught seafood, a new report suggests.
The report issued by Environmental Defense's Alliance for Environmental Innovation argues that environmental sustainability and business success can go hand in hand for 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 at substantial cost savings. Chilean sea bass is also being overfished and illegally caught, 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: http://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.
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