In a move praised by environmentalists fighting to protect vulnerable species, thousands of restaurants across the UK and Ireland have taken 69 fish off their menus.
The Compass Group, world’s largest contract caterer, is setting an example in addressing fisheries’ sustainability and helping to reduce demand for over-exploited fish. According to today’s Guardian, the 69 species on the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) “Fish to Avoid” list will no longer be served at 6,500 outlets across the UK and Ireland supplied by Compass.
Head of conservation at MCS, Simon Brockington, in the same article, praised the company’s decision, calling it a “crucial step in ensuring the long-term survival of vulnerable fisheries.”
Currently, a decision on whether or not to offer “official advice” to consumers on eating ethically is under consideration by the government’s Food Standards Agency. If the agency moves forward with the decision, it will encourage consumers not to buy or eat endangered fish,as well as direct them to the MCS and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Fish to avoid and fish to eat
The MCS-recommended list of fish to avoid is based on the following criteria:
- Vulnerable to over-fishing
- Fished using methods which cause damage to the environment
- Fished using methods which cause damage to non-target species such as birds, sea turtles, dolphins
- Rating of 5
There is also a list of fish to eat, which are fished within sustainable levels using methods which do not cause unacceptable damage to the environment or non-target species, according to MCS.
Here’s to Compass – and here’s hoping that other companies will follow their lead.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9765210@N03/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
