Why Sustainable Seafood?

Questions, questions everywhere 4

Questions, questions everywhere It seems like there is an awful lot of information that we need to know before we can start making sustainable seafood choices. So how do we go about finding out all this information and what do we do with it ŽŶĐĞǁĞ͛ǀĞŐŽƚŝƚ͍>ƵĐŬŝůǇƚŚĞĂŶƐǁĞƌƐĂƌĞŶ͛ƚĂƐĐŽŵƉůŝĐĂƚĞĚĂƐǇŽƵŵĂǇƚŚŝŶŬ͙

Eco-labelling An Eco-label for Fisheries There are also eco-labels for fisheries. By far the most An increasingly common method of communicating well-known of these is the Marine Stewardship information to consumers is through the use of product Council (MSC). The MSC was founded in 1997 as a labelling. Labels are used to simplify complex joint initiative by WWF and Unilever to certify information into an easy to understand logo or marking. sustainable fisheries Only products that have been produced to meet the around the world. It ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƚŝŽŶ͛ƐƉƌĞĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĚƐǁŝůůďĞĂůůŽǁĞĚ has since become an to carry the logo. You may be familiar with the organic independent label, which certifies how a product was produced. organization and is still

the only fisheries eco- Similarly, an eco-label is any label which provides label recognized by the consumers with information about the environmental hŶŝƚĞĚ EĂƚŝŽŶ͛Ɛ &ŽŽĚ impact of a product. You may be familiar with some of and Agriculture Organization (FAO). the more common eco-labels such as the dolphin- friendly eco-label on tuna products or the badger- The MSC is a global non-profit organisation which friendly honey label used locally. All eco-labels are works not just with fisheries, but with seafood voluntary, but to qualify for an eco-label, a product has companies, scientists, conservation groups and the to be independently audited on a regular basis to ensure public as well, to promote the best environmental that the producer is meeting the labels requirements choice in seafood. Fisheries wishing to qualify for the

D^͛ƐĐĞƌƚŝĨŝĐĂƚŝŽŶŚĂǀĞƚŽƉƌŽǀĞƚŚĂƚƚŚĞǇŵĞĞƚƚŚĞ D^͛ƐƚŚƌĞĞŵĂŝŶƉƌŝŶĐŝƉůĞƐŽĨ͗

1. Stock sustainability 2. Minimised ecosystem impacts 3. Effective management system

The MSC has already certified 35 fisheries around the Some common labels (From left to right: the Soil world and there are another 85 fisheries which are ƐƐŽĐŝĂƚŝŽŶ͛Ɛ organic label, Badger-friendly honey currently undergoing assessment. Concerned and Dolphin-safe tuna logos) ĐŽŶƐƵŵĞƌƐĐĂŶĂůƌĞĂĚǇĨŝŶĚƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐǁŝƚŚƚŚĞD^͛Ɛ fish tick logo in Who wants eco-labels? many of Eco-labels are not just there to give the producers a clear the larger retail chains across the world including conscience. More and more, consumers who are some local retailers. Some of the bigger retailers such concerned about the environmental impacts of their as Wal-Mart in the lifestyle choices are looking for environmentally-friendly USA and ASDA in the products and in many cases are willing to pay more for UK have committed products that have them. Just look at the growing to only stocking MSC ŵĂƌŬĞƚĨŽƌŽƌŐĂŶŝĐĨŽŽĚ͙ certified fish within the next five years. McDonalds, the fast-food giant, has also started to source their ͚ĨŝůůĞƚ-o-ĨŝƐŚ͛ĨƌŽŵŽŶůǇD^ĐĞƌƚŝĨŝĞĚĨŝƐŚƐƚŽĐŬƐ͘

So what is SASSI all about? The MSC in South Africa The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative Consumers can already look out for products carrying (SASSI) was launched in November 2004 in order to the MSC logo in our South African supermarkets and inform all participants in the is becoming increasingly active in our fisheries. The seafood trade, from South African hake trawl fishery was the first fishery wholesalers to restaurateurs in Africa to receive the MSC certification in 2004. through to seafood lovers about the threats facing ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ ĨƌŝĐĂ͛Ɛ ŵĂƌŝŶĞ ecosystems.

SASSI has three primary objectives:

1. Promote compliance of the law through education and awareness 2. Shift consumer demand away from over-exploited species to more sustainable options 3. Create awareness around marine conservation issues

The initiative builds on an earlier project started in KwaZulu-Natal that aimed to educate restaurants and suppliers about the different legal issues related to the seafood trade. The project was started after it was found that 6 out of 10 restaurants admitted to selling illegal ͚ŶŽ-ƐĂůĞ͛ fish and only 2 out of 10 restaurants were actually aware of the regulations governing the sale of fish in South Africa. Since becoming MSC certified the hake trawl industry has implemented a number of environmental improvements in the fishery, such as bird-scaring lines The SASSI list behind the trawlers, which have reduced the amount of seabirds (like the albatross above) killed during The SASSI list was developed to help consumers make fishing operations by over 90 %! sustainable and legal seafood choices. We have assessed all the different factors affecting the sustainability of our local seafood species and condensed the information into an easy to follow colour-coded chart system. Now, Is SASSI an eco-label? ŝŶƐƚĞĂĚŽĨŶĞĞĚŝŶŐƚŽŬŶŽǁĂůůĂďŽƵƚƚŚĞĨŝƐŚ͛ƐďƌĞĞĚŝŶŐ SASSI is a consumer awareness programme and does biology, migration patterns and all those other not endorse fisheries or products. Our aim is to complicated details, to make a sustainable seafood educate consumers by making information about the choice all a buyer or seller needs to know is which SASSI sustainability of the different seafood species colour category the fish fits into. available to everyone involved in the Southern African seafood industry. SASSI is not alone, there are over 30 other similar consumer awareness programs run by the WWF and Because we do not independently audit all of other organisations in 13 countries. All working towards Southern ĨƌŝĐĂ͛Ɛ ĨŝƐŚĞƌŝĞƐ͕ ^^^/ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ĂŶ ĞĐŽ- the goal of creating a sustainable seafood industry. For labelling organization like MSC. more information on these other programs have a look at in the Sustainable Seafood Tools section of this manual 18

What do the SASSI categories mean? GREEN RED These are fish that are from relatively healthy and well- These species are illegal to buy or sell in South Africa. managed populations that can cope with current fishing Some of these "no-sale" species are very important pressure. Some green species are not targeted by any recreational species that cannot handle commercial fishery, but are managed as a sustainable bycatch. fishing pressures. They may therefore only be caught for personal enjoyment and use, subject to the These species are recommended as the most sustainable possession of a valid recreational fishing permit and choices available. other restrictions that may apply (such as daily bag limits, closed seasons and minimum sizes). Some are ORANGE endangered species and are specially protected.

These species may be legally sold by registered commercial fishers and retailers. However, if there is an increased demand for these fish, their future could be at Not on the list? risk because: Some imported species are not yet included on the x The species may be rare because they are SASSI list. A good place to find out more about any overfished. fish is FishBase (http://fishbase.org/search.cfm) x The fishery that catches them may damage the where you can learn about the name, distribution environment through the method used and/or have and biology of a particular fish. A fish species may high bycatch. also be listed on other sustainable seafood lists. It is x It is Ăƚ ƌŝƐŬ ĨƌŽŵ ŽǀĞƌĨŝƐŚŝŶŐ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨŝƐŚ͛Ɛ important to keep in mind that not all organisations biology. use the same methodology to place species on x There is not enough information about the species various lists. A good summary is available at Incofish, for scientists to make valid recommendations about who has compiled an International Seafood Guide its conservation status (http://www.incofish.org/).

Consumers are encouraged to consider the implications of these choices.

SASSI Wallet Cards The SASSI wallet card has been developed to help consumers make sustainable choices wherever they might be buying fish in South Africa. To date over one million wallet cards have been distributed around the country. dŚĂƚ͛ƐĂůŽƚŽĨĞĚƵĐĂƚĞĚ consumers!

SASSI FishMS! Your choices today will affect what is available to you in the future. SASSI FishMS enables consumers to make the on-the-spot-choice when dining out. Use your mobile phone to check whether a fish is on the SASSI green, orange or red list. Simply text the name of the fish to the number 079 499 8795 and you will immediately get a message telling you whether to tuck in, think twice or avoid completely.

FishMS is powered by iVeri Payment Technology

Global examples of Chef power 'Give swordfish a break' campaign

A US Conservation group ran a campaign called 'give swordfish a break' to help North Atlantic swordfish recover from decades of overfishing and mismanagement. It persuaded more than 700 US chefs and 3 major cruise lines to stop serving North Atlantic swordfish until the officials closed the swordfish nursery areas in U.S. waters and pushed for stronger international management rules. The result: the fish recovered. In 1998 swordfish populations were at only 65 percent of their healthy population size; by 2002 it was up to 94 percent.

^^^/͛s restaurant participation scheme 5

^^^/͛Ɛƌestaurant participation scheme As trendsetters for seafood, chefs and restaurateurs are key players in creating greater consumer ĚĞŵĂŶĚ ĨŽƌ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞ ƐĞĂĨŽŽĚ͘ ^^^/͛Ɛ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂƚŝŽŶ ƐĐŚĞŵĞ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ educate and inform responsible restaurants about sustainability issues in the seafood industry and to enable these businesses to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this growing movement.

Being part of the solution It may seem like a daunting task to try and figure out how all this information relates to your business, but this is why the SASSI Restaurant Participation Scheme has been developed, to allow your business to support sustainable and responsible fishing and seafood production.

There are two levels at which a restaurant can participate in our programme - SASSI Aware or SASSI Champion. SASSI Aware participants agree to stock and sell both green and orange-listed species, but always try to have a green alternative available for customers to choose. They also agree to never promote orange- listed linefish through in-store product promotions or Increased Awareness specials. SASSI Champion participants choose to deal only in SASSI green-listed species. Being part of the sustainable seafood All participants undertake to voluntarily adhere to the revolution is all following guidelines: about spreading the word and educating 1. Always buy seafood from legal sources. others about the 2. Never buy or serve illegal SASSI Red-listed (no- threats facing our sale) species or undersize SASSI Orange and marine ecosystems. Green-listed species. Restaurants can play an important 3. Always have Green-listed species available for role in educating sale. the public by having 4. Never promote Orange-listed linefish (at SASSI information ŚĂŵƉŝŽŶ ůĞǀĞů͕ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ƐĞůů any Orange-listed incorporated into species). their menus, placing

5. Supply your customers with the correct name, table talkers place of origin, and production method (pictured to the (farmed or wild-caught) of the seafood served, right) on their as well as indicate the fishing method used for tables, using the wild-caught species. SASSI fish fact cards and handing out SASSI wallet cards to interested customers.

The First Steps: Being seafood legal Improve seafood labelling by ensuring that When buying seafood: all seafood products sold are clearly labelled so that consumers can make a more informed choice about the x Only buy fish from registered commercial products they are buying. This means labelling seafood fisherman or reputable suppliers and never from with the: recreational fisherman. (you can also report any illegal behaviour to MCM͛s anonymous tip-off x Acceptable market or common name for the hotline 0800 205 005) species (it would be great to include the latin name x Deal in the right fish - make sure you are not selling where possible). ĨŝƐŚŽƌƐĞĂĨŽŽĚƚŚĂƚĂƌĞ͚ŶŽ-ƐĂůĞ͛ƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ. x Production method - wild caught at sea or in x When buying directly from fishermen insist on freshwater, and how it was caught (fishing method), seeing a valid commercial fishing permit. Only or farmed. commercial fishers with boats registered as x Area/region where the fish was caught or country commercial vessels may sell fish. If you are unsure, where it was farmed. lists of registered commercial fisherman are available from Marine and Coastal Management. (contact [email protected] for more info) x When buying from suppliers ensure your supplier is a reputable dealer who can verify that their fish is legally obtained. They should have an invoice or an import permit. Develop a relationship with your supplier. x Keep a proper paper trail e.g. invoices and import permits. You need: - Seller or business name and address. - Your name and address (buyer). - Date of delivery. - Numbers and quantities (in kilograms) of each fish species purchased. - Make sure that the correct species name Watch Out for mislabelling! (and Latin name if possible) is used. x Importing seafood? Make sure you have copies of Some common misnaming culprits: the import permits for your records. x Bluenose or bluefish sold as ͞musselcracker͟. x Make sure your fish are the right legal size and x Jacopever or any red coloured seabream marketed supplied to you in the correct amounts. as red snapper. x Get to know your local fisheries compliance officer x Big-scale mackerel/butterfly kingfish (contact [email protected] for more info). (Gasterochisma melampis), known as ͞gastoro͟ being sold as musselcracker or kob/ kabeljou. x Angelfish (pomfret) sold as white steenbras x Carpenter sold as 'seventy-four' in KZN. x Longline caught, trawled, or even farmed fish sold ĂƐ͞ůŝŶĞĨŝƐŚŽĨƚŚĞĚĂǇ͟

Have a look at the quick checklist for what questions to ask when buying seafood from a supplier in the resources section at the back of this manual

Looking Ahead We understand that restaurants cannot change their businesses overnight, but joining SASSI is the first step in helping to create a sustainable seafood industry. Becoming sustainable is a process ĂŶĚ ǁĞ͛ƌĞ ŚĞƌĞ ƚŽ help you through it.

Remove the worst by beginning the process of removing illegal and overexploited seafood from your shelves and menus, or those listed as being the most overfished or caught using wasteful or destructive methods. Establish the source and method of fishing of the seafood types you offer and work to improve on these by offering better alternatives. Train Your Staff Support the best by increasing the range of As a SASSI participant, it is important that both you and your staff are well informed about the different issues sustainable seafood that you sell. Always try to have threatening our oceans. Wait staff, chefs, managers, seafood from the SASSI green list available for your owners, everyone should know the basics. customers and ensure these sustainable fish are promoted effectively in store. It is important that wait staff and chefs learn how to promote green-listed species. There are many good Change the rest by offering better alternatives reasons to be eating green-listed species, apart from and encouraging your suppliers to source fish from the fact that they are the sustainable choice. Many of more responsible fisheries or companies that advocate the green-listed species taste just as good, and often responsible fisheries practices. better, than the threatened orange-listed ones. It is up to the restaurants to develop their green-list options and give the consumers more sustainable and tasty SASSI Green-list options

Alternatives To help train your restaurant staff, SASSI has developed a training DVD which is included with this manual. Get For many of the threatened orange-listed species, there your restaurant staff to watch it and you have already is a green-listed alternative which is just as tasty and a taken the first few steps towards a more responsible whole lot more sustainable. To help restaurants and industry. chefs learn more about the best alternatives for the popular orange-listed species, WWF, together with SASSI Chefs SASSI champion chef, Pete Goffe-Wood, have People do not go to grocery stores looking for developed a green-list alternatives list. This list can be something new, but they will when they go to found in the resources section of this manual. restaurants! As trendsetters in the food industry, chefs

and restaurateurs are key players in creating consumer Ask your supplier for green-listed species. Only when demand for sustainable seafood. restaurants and consumers start demanding sustainable seafood options will suppliers make an By diversifying their use of seafood species, chefs can effort to source more green-listed species. ŶŽƚ ŽŶůǇ ĞǆƉĂŶĚ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌ͛Ɛ ƉĂůĂƚĞƐ ďƵƚ ĂůƐŽ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞ sustainability by alleviating demand for traditionally popular fish (such as kingklip, kabeljou and cape salmon), that are prone to over fishing. For more information about our SASSI Chefs program contact [email protected]

What do you get from us? x Strategic Advice SASSI provides up-to-date information on the sustainability of local and imported seafood species. Contact SASSI at [email protected] or call us on (021) 421 9167. x Staff Training SASSI runs quarterly half-day training courses on what sustainable seafood is all about and how to implement a sustainable seafood strategy in your restaurant. We also work with chefs to help expand your sustainable seafood options, to find out more contact [email protected] x Regular Contact All SASSI participants receive regular contact from a SASSI representative to help with any seafood- related problems, ensuring that they are on top of all the latest developments in the seafood industry. x Menu Assessments As a SASSI participant, we will review the seafood options on your current menu and help develop alternatives to guide you towards more sustainable seafood practise x In-Store Advertising The SASSI logo is already well-known to many seafood enthusiasts. All SASSI participants will be Eat differently, not less with these given a SASSI certificate and sticker for them to display in their restaurants. suggestions... x Web Advertising All SASSI participants will be listed as sustainable x Keep informed about which fish is OK to eat and ƐĞĂĨŽŽĚ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚƐ ŽŶ ^ŽƵƚŚ ĨƌŝĐĂ͛Ɛ ďŝŐgest which is not online restaurant guide Dining-Out (www.dining- x Increase the variety of fish you eat - move away out.co.zaͿ͘ dŚĞǇ ǁŝůů ĂůƐŽ ďĞ ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐĞĚ ŽŶ ^^^/͛Ɛ from a dependence on one favourite website (www.wwf.org.za/sassi) which is x Don't eat undersized or juvenile fish increasingly listed in a number of travel and food x Choose fish caught in sustainable ways- ask your guides. fishmonger x Awareness Materials x Buy locally where possible SASSI will provide participants with sustainable x Avoid certain species- find out which local species seafood awareness materials for you to use in your are at particular risk restaurant. These will include SASSI table talkers, x Choose farmed fish and shellfish carefully (support fish-fact cards etc. those with organic certifications and sustainable x Newsletters and updates eco-labels). All SASSI participants will receive a copy of our electronic quarterly newsletter keeping them in ƚŽƵĐŚǁŝƚŚǁŚĂƚǁĞ͛ƌĞƵƉƚŽ͘

Why sustainable seafood 6

Why sustainable seafood? Across the world, many forward-thinking businesses involved in the seafood industry are realising that the fisheries crisis could also be viewed as an opportunity. By responding to rising consumer concerns around issues of seafood sustainability, these businesses understand that they can play a powerful role in supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture operations, and in the process invest in the long-term viability of their own businesses.

Sustainable just makes $ense Increased profits: Sustainable seafood is not just for the conservationist Joining the sustainable seafood initiative could increase in you. There are a number of financial and social your turnover and profits. There is growing evidence to benefits associated with sustainable seafood. suggest that consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable seafood products (see below). Fishermen Improved market position: and retailers have also noted that products originating from an MSC certified fishery are able to command a Restauranteurs are constantly seeking to expand their price premium on international markets, particularly in businesses - to access new markets. The the US and Europe where large supermarkets such as development of the eco-labelling movement and Wal-DĂƌƚ ĂŶĚ ^ĂŝŶƐďƵƌǇ͛Ɛ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŽŵŵŝƚƚĞĚ ƚŽ ƐŽƵƌĐŝŶŐ organisations such as the Marine Stewardship Council their seafood from MSC certified fisheries. (MSC) shows that there is a growing market for environmentally and socially responsible businesses, products and services.

Restaurants that make the decision now to focus their business on sound ethical and environmental principles are making a strategic investment, placing themselves amongst the leaders in a field that is undoubtedly going to grow in the future.

At the same time, the brand value gained by being ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ tt& ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ ĂŶǇ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͛ marketing activities and provides credibility to any ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͛ ĐůĂŝŵƐ ŽĨ ďĞŝŶŐ Ă ƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌ ŽĨ their community. In the long run, restaurants with excellent reputations will be able to recruit the best staff, enjoy privileged access to new markets, and generate greater loyalty from the communities within How Much is Sustainable Seafood Worth? which they operate. A recent survey of European consumers found that:

x the average price increase for sustainable Restaurants could increase the loyalty of existing seafood is 10% customers and attract new clientele who appreciate ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ͛Ɛ ĞĨĨŽƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ x 40%ҏ of consumers are willing to pay 5% to 10% seafood sustainability issues and support green more initiatives. x 25%ҏ of consumers are willing to pay 10% more x a quarter of the most affluent consumers are willing to pay 20% more

(Source: Seafood Choices Alliance (2007). The European market for sustainable seafood)

Better quality seafood and service: Sustainable seafood can often be better quality than the less-sustainable or illegal options. Fish which are caught or raised with more care often have superior taste and freshness. Due to the growing scarcity of orange-listed species, prices for these fish have been rapidly increasing over the last few years. High quality, and often cheaper, substitutes also exist for most of the threatened orange-listed fish. In harder economic times, it makes sense to buy these cheaper and more sustainable fish.

Well educated staff can engage with interested customers, thereby improving the quality of your ^ŽŵĞŽĨ^^^/͛ƐƌĞƚĂŝůƉĂƌƚŶĞƌƐ service, and potentially increasing your marketability. One way to empower staff is to send them to a SASSI Increased consumer awareness: training course. As environmental issues rise to the forefront of public debate, as has happened with the depletion of the Reduced risk-exposure: ozone layer and more recently with climate change, the Restaurants that deal in overexploited seafood species general public are increasingly demanding accountability are also vulnerable to the unpredictable supply of from companies and individuals alike, as evidenced by these fish and the potential loss of regular customers. the emergence of the market for organic food in South By shifting their dependence away from overfished Africa. stocks towards more sustainable options, restaurants Current indications from research conducted both can improve the reliability of their seafood supply locally and internationally suggest that there is growing chains and in so doing enable the development of consumer awareness around the issue of seafood long-term business plans. sustainability. Since its inception in 2004, SASSI has

distributed over a million wallet cards and has been In South Africa, there is currently a considerable regularly reviewed in the media, generating amount of illegal trade in the seafood industry. This ĂƉƉƌŽǆŝŵĂƚĞůǇ ϰ͘Ϯ ŵŝůůŝŽŶ ZĂŶĚƐ͛ ǁŽƌƚŚ ŽĨ ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐŝŶŐ can take the form of trading in illegal/protected or value equivalent (AVE) in 2008. The initiative has also incorrectly labelled species, buying from recreational received considerable local and international attention, fishers or dealing in undersized fish. By committing to including a report by the United Nations for its only serving sustainable seafood species, restaurants innovative use of the mobile FishMS service which has can avoid these legal complications and significantly now been used by over 12 500 different seafood reduce the risks associated with being prosecuted for consumers around South Africa. breaking the law.

The restaurant trade also relies heavily on the tourism :ŽŝŶŝŶŐ^^^/͛ƐƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂƚŝŽŶƐĐŚĞŵĞĞŶĂďůĞƐ industry, particularly in coastal regions where tourism restaurants to educate the public about sustainable contributes substantially to the local economies. In seafood, a socially responsible action that would result South Africa, many tourists come to enjoy the natural in public recognition of their leadership in seafood beauty of our marine ecosystems and often partake in sustainability. A number of large retail chains such as nature-based tourist activities such as scuba diving, WŝĐŬ ͚Ŷ WĂǇ, Woolworths and Spar have already signed whale watching and charter fishing expeditions among the SASSI retail charter, helping to increase consumer others. Should these ecosystems collapse due to awareness who are increasingly more aware of the overfishing, or simply fail to provide the services major issues surrounding seafood sustainability. desired by the tourism industry, it is very likely that tourists will choose alternative destinations in the future.

Sustainable seafood tools 7

Sustainable Seafood Tools Seafood Purchasing Checklist Is the fish legal? x Is it on ƚŚĞ^^^/ƌĞĚ͚ŶŽ-ƐĂůĞ͛ůŝƐƚ. o Use SASSI͛s FishMs service (079 499 8795) or have a look at SASSI͛s website (www.wwf.org.za/sassi). If ǇŽƵĐĂŶ͛ƚĨŝŶĚŝƚŽŶƚŚĞ^^^/ ůŝƐƚŽƌǇŽƵĚŽŶ͛ƚƌĞĐŽŐŶŝǌĞƚŚĞƐƉĞĐŝĞƐŶĂŵĞ͕ƚƌǇĐŚĞĐŬŝŶŐŽŶůŝŶĞĂƚ www.incofish.org or contacting SASSI at (021 421 9167) or email us at [email protected] x Is it the right size? o Check the list of minimum size limits below x Does the seller have the correct documentation? o Only fishermen with commercial fishing permits can sell their catch o Suppliers need to have an invoice or an import permit which can verify that the fish were legally obtained o Check for signs that it has been caught by recreational fisher (for example speared fish tend to have a ragged hole on both sides of their bodies) o If you are buying prawns, the box must show the type of prawn, the origin (which should match the import permit), the mass and a grading

Is there a more sustainable option? x Is there a green alternative? o If you are buying an orange-listed species, ask the supplier/fishermen for green-listed ones instead o Ask the supplier to bring you green-listed species next time

Buying the fish x Be sure to keep a proper paper trail (invoices, import permits) for all fish purchases. This must include: o Seller or business name and address o Your name and address (buyer) o Date of delivery o Numbers and quantity (weight) of each fish species o Make sure that the correct species name is used

Commercial Size Limits Fish size is measured in a straight line from the tip of the snout to the extreme end of the tail x Carpenter (silverfish) 35cm x Poenskop (Black musselcracker) x Snoek 60cm 50cm x Catface rockcod 50cm x Red steenbras 60cm (note closed x West coast rock lobster season 1Oct-30Nov) (75mm carapace) x Dageraad 40cm x Red Stumpnose (Miss Lucy) 30cm x White-edged rockcod 40cm x Englishman 40cm x Red Roman 30cm x White stumpnose 25cm x Geelbek 60cm x Santer 30cm x Yellowbelly rockcod 60cm x Hottentot 22cm x Scotsman 40cm x Kob 40cm (KZN) 50cm (rest) x Slinger 25cm

SASSI Green List Alternatives This list has been devised in collaboration with our SASSI Chef Champion, Pete Goffe- Wood, to help you find a green alternative to popular orange-listed seafood. Similar in flavour Alternatives from the SASSI Species on the Seafood Group/ Description (international Green List Orange List species) Seabreams: x Hottentot, steentjie, white x Red stumpnose, x European These include many species, but all stumpnose, santer seabream, musselcracker, seabream or bream are firm fleshed fish with panga seabream, blueskin/ carpenter, red guilthead medium oil content. trawl soldier steenbras and seabream red roman (dorade), x All red coloured commonly seabreams farmed in Mediterranean White fish x Hake, haddock (smoked x Pollok, hoki, cod hake), Cape Whiting (hake) Firm white, flakey fish, not oil x Gurnard, jacopever, bluefish x Kingklip, x Ling, wreckfish kob/kabeljou, rockcods Firm, small flakes and medium oil x Yellowtail, angelfish, Dorado, x Cape salmon x Meagre, drum barramundi Firm, heavy, meaty flesh, not oily x Monkfish (often used as x Shark x Lobster tail ͚ŵŽĐŬĐƌĂǇĨŝƐŚ͛Ϳ Flat, thin fillets, not oily x John dory, angelfish (small x Sole x Scabardfish ones), buttersnoek (silver and black) ͚'ĂŵĞĨŝƐŚ͛͗ǀĞƌǇŵĞĂƚǇ͕ĨŝƌŵĂŶĚƌŝĐŚ x Tuna, queen mackerel, wahoo x Swordfish, marlin Firm, flakey, medium to rich oil x Snoek, butterfish (rough skin and smooth skin oilfish) Medium- small fish, oily x Mackerel, sardines, pilchards, x Whitebait anchovies, horse mackerel/ maasbanker Small, not oily x Mullet/ harders x Whitebait Shellfish x Rock lobster, crab x Prawns, langoustines Farmed Fish x Firm, oily x Salmon, trout x Firm, white, flakey fish, not oily x Tilapia, catfish (basa or pangasius) x Firm, white, medium oil x Barramundi, Nile perch Local Alternatives? x Turbot/halibut, Cod, Haddock x Thick fillets of john dory, haddock, hake x Plaice, seabreams x Hottentot (blue and normal)

To find more information about Pete Goffe-Wood visit www.kitchencowboys.co.za or email Pete at [email protected] 28

More Sustainable Seafood Resources SASSI is not the only sustainable seafood programme out there. There are a number of different organisations around the world who are passionate about developing a sustainable seafood industry. Have a look at these websites to get some ideas of what they are doing and how you can make a difference in your business. The Marine Stewardship Council Seafood Choices Alliance The MSC is an independent, global, non-profit Bringing ocean conservation to the table: Seafood organization whose role is to recognize, via a certification Choices Alliance provides seafood purveyors, such as program, well-managed fisheries and to harness chefs and retailers, with the information they need to consumer preference for seafood products bearing the meet both an economic and environmental bottom MSC eco-label line. www.msc.org http://www.seafoodchoices.com sĂŶĐŽƵǀĞƌƋƵĂƌŝƵŵ͛Ɛ Oceanwise WWF S͛ƐZĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞ&ŝƐŚĞƌŝĞƐWƌŽŐƌĂŵ Oceanwise is a Canadian sustainable seafood restaurant Find out what WWF are doing to help implement an participation program run by the Vancouver Aquarium. It Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries within South has useful information on how their program works and ĨƌŝĐĂ͛ƐĨŝƐŚŝŶŐŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͘dŚĞƌĞĂƌĞĂůƐŽƵƐĞĨƵů ideas on how to popularise sustainable seafood resources on the website about how you can support www.vanaqua.org/oceanwise/ sustainable fisheries www.panda.org.za

Chefs Collaborative Incofish A national network of more than 1,000 members of the Provides a comprehensive international seafood food community in America who promote sustainable guide and other resources for those interested in cuisine. fisheries and marine and coastal management. http://chefscollaborative.org/ www.incofish.org

DŽŶƚĞƌĞǇĂǇƋƵĂƌŝƵŵ͛Ɛ^ĞĂĨŽŽĚtĂƚĐŚ Ocean Conservancy Started by Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, Seafood Find out about all of the major issues facing our Watch was one of the programs to develop sustainability oceans and some of the ways in which everyday rankings for seafood and also stared the first sustainable people are trying to make a difference. seafood restaurant participation schemes. Their site has www.oceanconservancy.org a lot of resources for restaurants and retailers looking to promote sustainable seafood. It also has great explanations of the problems facing our oceans today. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org

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Appendix A: South African fishing regulations A

Appendix A: South African Fishing Regulations In South Africa, all of our marine resources are subject to a number of regulatory controls that South African Fishing protect and conserve our marine ecosystems and ensure the optimal sustainable utilisation of Sectors: these resources. The most important law There are 3 main fishing sectors recognised by the governing how our marine resources are utilised MLRA in South Africa: Recreational, Subsistence and is the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA), no 18 Commercial. of 1998. Recreational fishers collect and catch fish and other marine organisms for fun, sport or personal Key Points: consumption and would include shore anglers, Some of the key points of the MRLA that you need to underwater spear fishers, shellfish and bait know for trading and dealing in seafood are: collectors, and recreational boat anglers. They need to have a recreational fishing permit and x You need permits to harvest, sell, import or export must adhere to strict bag and/or size limits for marine resources (Section 13 (1)). various species and may never sell their catch. x Recreational fishers may not sell their catch (Section Recreational regulations are made available 20 (1)). annually by Marine and Coastal Management and x There are specific regulations pertaining to the permits can be bought from the post office. Under management of certain species and fisheries, for no circumstances may recreational fisherman sell example size and bag limits, closed seasons and no their catch! sale species. x The Act allows for penalties of up to two million Subsistence fishers are typically people who live in remote rural areas and depend on harvesting of Rand or 5 years imprisonment for transgressors. seafood such as mussels, rock lobster and fish on a x You need a permit from Department of daily basis to feed themselves and their families. Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT): Marine They generally collect for their own consumption and Coastal Management (MCM) and the but may barter or sell their catch within their local International Trade Administration Commission of area. South Africa (ITAC) to import or export any seafood (Section 27 (1)). Commercial fishers make up the formal fishing x Ensure that you keep adequate records and retain sector and encompass everything from the small- all invoices when buying and selling seafood to scale traditional linefishery to the highly ensure optimum accountability (see section 6 for industrialized multi-million Rand deepwater hake more information on keeping correct paper trails) trawl industry. Commercial fishers are allocated fishing rights for targeting specific species and Some technical terms... must have a commercial permit to be able to sell Fish: refers to any marine living resources including their catch. These permits have strict conditions any aquatic plant or animal whether piscine or not, which fishers must abide by and are monitored by any mollusc, crustacean, coral, sponge, holothurian or Marine and Coastal Management compliance other echinoderm, reptile and marine mammal, and officials. includes their eggs, larvae and all juvenile stages, but does not include seabirds and seals. More... To Sell: Includes to hawk, peddle, barter, exchange For more information and to view the MLRA or any or otherwise dispose of for a consideration or to of the other policies governing our marine offer, advertise, expose or possess for the purpose of resources, visit MarŝŶĞĂŶĚŽĂƐƚĂůDĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ͛Ɛ selling, hawking, peddling or bartering, exchanging or website at: otherwise disposing of for a consideration. http:/www.mcm-deat.gov.za

What tools do we use to help 6. Limit the time when fishers are allowed to catch fish: Closed seasons protect fish when prevent overfishing in South they are vulnerable for e.g. when they are carrying their eggs. In South Africa we have Africa: closed seasons for shad/elf, galjoen and rock lobster. 1. Limit the amount of fish caught: This is done through applying a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) 7. Limit the areas in which people can catch fish: or a quota. The TAC is the absolute amount of a Closed areas, often called Marine Protected resource that may be harvested in a given period ƌĞĂƐ;DW͛ƐͿŽƌDĂƌŝŶĞWĂƌŬƐĂůůŽǁĂ (usually a year). This is usually recalculated each proportion of fish to remain unexploited. Fish year using mathematical models based on many in these areas seed adjacent exploited areas years of data to assess the health of stocks. Catch and help sustain fisheries. They also serve as quotas are allocated to an individual or a valuable benchmark areas that can be company for a specific period as a fishing right. compared to fished areas when assessing Seven South African fisheries are managed with human impacts. TACs -deep sea hake, inshore hake, longline hake, pelagic purse seine and West and South Coast rock lobster.

2. Limit the number of people or boats allowed to catch the fish: The Total Allowable Effort of TAE can be achieved by either limiting the number of people fishing, the number of boats or traps that are employed or the number of days spent at sea fishing.

3. Bag limits restrict daily fish catches per person to ensure a fair share of fish for everyone.

4. Minimum size limits are based on the size at which 50% of a sample of fish of any species is sexually mature. They protect young fish until they grow large enough to breed and it allows a fish to breed (spawn) at least once before it is caught. Maximum size limits protect large fish which have the greatest reproductive output. In South Africa we have a maximum size limit for kob/kabeljou (commercial fishers are only allowed one kob > 110cm per person per day).

5. Gear restrictions improve selectivity, reduce habitat damage or help control bycatch of unwanted species (e.g. escape hatches in nets or mesh size limits which allow juvenile fish to escape)

Appendix B: Fishing methods B

Appendix B: Fishing Methods The way fish are caught and the impacts these fisheries have on the environment all influence the sustainability of the seafood resource. As mentioned previously, there are many different ways to catch fish, all of which have different implications for the target stocks and other non-targeted species and the ecosystem. In South Africa, there are 21 different commercial fisheries targeting different species for commercial uses. These are some of the more common fishing methods used in order to supply your shops and restaurants with fish and other seafood delights.

Trawling Also known as dragging, is the most widely used industrial fishing method. It involves towing a large net across the seabed (bottom or demersal trawling) or through the water (mid-water trawling) to catch fish that live there. Hake, sole, and prawns are all species in South Africa targeted using bottom trawl gear. Retained bycatch include other fish (kingklip, monkfish, chub mackerel, john dory, gurnard), sharks, squid, deep water crabs and lobster. The main issue with trawling is that it is non-selective, and depending on the target species may have a substantial bycatch. Prawn trawling is one of the fishing sectors with the highest discarded bycatch (up to 70%), accounting for one third of the global discarded catches. Demersal trawling can also alter the seabed. Mid-water trawling is more selective and does not damage the seabed, and mainly targets horse mackerel or maasbanker. Damage to the seabed can be minimised through gear restrictions and areas can be protected through Marine Protected Areas or areas closed to fishing.

Linefishing Uses hand lines and fishing rods with baited hooks to catch the fish. Linefish are caught from commercial ski-boats and sometimes larger deck-boats. It is a fairly selective method with little bycatch, as fishers use varying hook sizes and bait types. The fish caught are also of very good quality as they are individually handled. The biggest problem associated with linefishing is that many of our linefish species have been fished to the point of collapse and stocks are in urgent need of recovery.

Beach seining A traditional fishing method where schools of fish are encircled from the shore with a long net dragged by a rowing boat, and hauled up onto the beach. This method is used to catch yellowtail and mullet in the Western Cape and sardines in KZN during the annual sardine run. The method has a much more localised impact compared to industrialised fishing methods; but nets of any kind by nature are non-selective. The Western Cape fishery may have a high bycatch of rare linefish such as white steenbras (which it formerly targeted). Fish may be released alive though, if the fishers comply with regulations. Over the last decade, the overall fishing effort for this method has been dramatically reduced.

Purse seining This involves the use of a large net to encircle shoaling fish. The net is drawn closed around the shoal like a bag. As purse seine vessels target small pelagic shoaling fish such as sardines and anchovies, and the gear is selective, bycatch of other species is normally low, except when more than one species shoal together. The primary potential impact of catching these species is termed the "ecosystem effect". Small pelagic fishes are ecologically important as prey for many marine predators (sharks, seals and seabirds) - therefore, if too much is caught it may affect the health of the entire ecosystem. In South Africa, progressive legislation is considering reducing fishing in the vicinity of penguin breeding islands. Tuna purse seining is not practiced in South Africa but in some countries it may result in the incidental mortality of dolphins.

Pots, traps and hoops Catch slower moving or bottom dwelling sea creatures such as rock lobsters, crabs and octopus. Traps are baited and set on the seabed for a set length of time before being retrieved. The method is generally very specific, though minor concerns are ghost fishing (when a trap is lost and continues to attract and catch fish and other animals without ever being retrieved), and occasional entanglement of whales in trap lines, which can be quite serious in some countries.

Longlining Is the other major industrial fishing method and involves using a main line with hundreds of baited hooks. Longlines can be up to 100km long with as many as 20 000 baited hooks. Longlines may be set on the seabed (demersal), or near the surface (pelagic), depending on the target species. Species targeted include tunas, sharks and swordfish, hake, and patagonian toothfish. The main issue with longlining is the bycatch of threatened seabirds, turtles, and billfish, though this may be reduced through preventative measures.

Tuna pole fishing This is a highly selective method of fishing that targets tuna, particularly yellowfin and longfin (albacore), and has virtually no bycatch. Tuna are attracted to boats by spraying jets of water onto the surface of the sea. They are then caught on baited hooks on short lines attached to strong bamboo poles.

Squid jigging Is a specialised method used to target local tjokka (chokker) or squid. Also widely known as Calamari. Squid are attracted to boats at night by powerful lights and caught with barbed lures that are hauled vertically through the water. This is a highly selective fishing method.

Hand harvesting This is a very simple and highly selective method of seafood collection, using simple tools or by hand or diving. A number of species such as oysters, mussels and seaweeds are collected along our coastline in this way- both at a commercial and a subsistence scale.