SUSTAINABILITY
What is
Sustainability or Renewable Resources?
Sustainability, in general terms, means meeting the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs. This concept of sustainability encompasses
ideas, aspirations and values that continue to inspire public and
private organizations to become better stewards of the environment
and that promote positive economic growth and social
objectives.
In an ecological context, sustainability can be defined as the
ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes,
functions, biodiversity and productivity into the future. A natural
resource is a renewable resource if it is replaced by natural
processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of
consumption by humans.
Sustainability has become a complex term that can be applied to
almost every system on Earth – not only seafood.
Sustainable seafood is seafood from either fished or farmed sources
that can maintain or increase production in the future without
jeopardizing the ecosystems from which it was acquired. The
sustainable seafood movement has gained momentum as more people
become aware about both overfishing and environmentally-destructive
fishing methods.
For humans to live sustainably, the Earth's resources must be used
at a rate at which they can be replenished. However, there is now
clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably,
and that an unprecedented collective effort is needed to return
human use of natural resources to within sustainable limits.
Goal: Honest, Renewable Seafood for everyone!
How seafood is deemed
sustainable
In general,
slow-growing fish that reproduce late in life, such as orange
roughy, are quite vulnerable to overfishing. Seafood species that
grow quickly and breed young, such as anchovies and sardines, are
much more resistant to overfishing. Several organizations,
including the Marine Stewardship Council and Friend of the Sea,
certify seafood fisheries as sustainable.
In the US, the Sustainable Fisheries Act defines sustainable
practices through national standards. Although there is no official
certifying body like the MSC, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) has created FishWatch to help guide concerned
consumers to sustainable seafood choices. The NOAA Fisheries’
position is that the "ten National Standards of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, backed up by the principles of other
applicable law such as the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal
Act, function as the US fisheries sustainability standards".
Support Sustainable Managed Fisheries by buying from them!
How do I benefit
from buying and eating sustainable seafood?
- Empowerment to purchase responsibly
- Ease of identifying the 'best environmental choice in
seafood'
- 'Fell good' factor in heling secure future fish supplies
- Opportunity to be informed about the issues of overfishing
and using renewable resources
- Saving on health and its costs
Why is Sustainability important?
Good for the Environment
- Preserves the environment for future generations to exist
without having to pay the burden of past generations
Good for the Consumer
- Promotes healthy lifestyles
- Helps save money
- Satisfies the desire to give back to the community
Good Business Practice
- Fosters an efficient way of doing business
- Helps reduce operating costs
- Opportunity for differentiation and competitive advantage
