Carting Away the Oceans Greenpeace.Org Table of Contents
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Carting Away the Oceans greenpeace.org Table of Contents Written by: Casson Trenor State of the Oceans 4 Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization that acts to The Role of Supermarkets 5 expose global environmental problems and achieve solutions that are essential How Far We’ve Come 6–7 to a green and peaceful future. What Consumers Can Do 8 Published April 2010 by What Supermarkets Must Do 9 Greenpeace USA Supermarket Score Card 10 702 H Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Tel/ 202.462.1177 Supermarket Profiles 12–34 Fax/ 202.462.4507 Call to Action 35 Printed with 100% Wind Power Recycled Post-Consumer Waste Processed Chlorine Free Paper book design by Andrew Fournier Cover Photo: © Alex Hofford / Greenpeace greenpeace.org © Greenpeace/ Robert Meyers State of the Oceans The Role of Supermarkets The crisis in our oceans continues Over the past seven months, Greenpeace has Supermarkets are one of our strongest connec- patronization of pirate fishing and to provide engaged in a direct campaign to expose the tions to the oceans. Our relationship with fish is more information to the customer at point-of- unabated. In spite of overwhelming practices of one of the worst historical perform- largely one of predator and prey, and for most purchase. Retailers must also begin evidence and strong warnings from ers in Carting Away the Oceans rankings: Trader Americans, grocery stores are the preferred to participate more actively in the Pushing the Envelope: Joe’s. In August 2009, the company’s lack of a hunting grounds. In the United States, consum- political process; they must use their Target the most respected members of the sustainable seafood policy, misleading labeling ers buy about half of their seafood at the fish massive buying power to leverage Target has risen to the scientific community, we continue to practices, and unsustainable inventory items counter, but conservation efforts in this arena positive change in our oceans and to top of the Carting Away plunder our seas with impunity. led Greenpeace to initiate a series of online and have a history of bypassing retail operations support governmental initiatives that on-the-ground actions addressing the company’s and concentrating on the individual shopper. will create marine protected areas the Oceans rankings by embracing challenges that Seafood merchants persist in focusing on large, unacceptable behavior. Now, eight months later, Unfortunately, this method alone will not reduce (MPAs) and other measures integral other retailers dismiss as predatory fish, such as cod, sharks, and tuna, we find ourselves victorious and cautiously opti- pressure on our fish stocks to acceptable to a sensible, ecosystem-based while globally, populations of these ecologically mistic. Trader Joe’s has reformed to a significant levels—rather, the supermarkets themselves fisheries management approach. impractical or impossible. important fish have dropped by 90 percent. degree. The company is reportedly discussing a must begin to participate in the global ocean Lastly, responsible retailers should The company’s recent Bycatch remains a scandalous problem: each partnership with a reputable third party to help conservation movement. demonstrate their commitment to implementation of seafood in making sustainable decisions. Trader Joe’s is this process by removing key red standards that preclude day, an enormous portion of the world’s total Retailers have a tremendous amount of power in also crafting a public sustainable seafood policy list species from their inventories the sale of any farmed seafood catch is tossed over the sides of fishing the seafood industry. Over the past three years, boats due to inefficient, indiscriminate fishing and redesigning its labeling, and it has already immediately. If we are to save our salmon whatsoever sent discontinued several of its former red list items, we have seen several large chains begin to oceans from destruction by over- methods. The worst of the worst, bottom trawl- engage in proactive, thoughtful actions: discon- shockwaves through the ing, is responsible for 80 percent of all bycatch such as orange roughy and red snapper. exploitation, we cannot continue to aquaculture industry. Target tinuing objectionable projects, participating in sell unsustainable species like shark, incurred globally. has vowed to continue This incredible victory was the result of actions sector-wide conservation initiatives, and creating orange roughy, and hoki. There is a Thankfully, we are beginning to see a change taken by tens of thousands of people across the sustainable seafood policies that will enable better way to sell seafood, and it is improving the sustainability in this troubling trend. Little by little, the United country who demanded change. These activists stores to continue to sell seafood in an ethical time for progressive retailers to take of its seafood operation; no States retail sector is waking up to the reality of took up the call and confronted Trader Joe’s and responsible manner far into the future. the reins and lead the industry away doubt there are even more directly through phone calls, letters, e-mails, from the environmentally negligent impressive feats yet to come the situation. Certain seafood markets are start- Other retailers, however, have yet to get on in-store demonstrations, and a number of practices that have literally brought from this company. ing to make positive choices about how seafood board. These industry laggards continue to should be caught, sold, and labeled. There is still other creative tactics. Eventually, the company us to the brink of catastrophe. responded to the pressure from its customer ignore the writing on the wall and refuse to a tremendous amount of progress to be made, reform their behavior, electing instead to sling however, and we cannot stop now. base, and we were rewarded with a store that, while still a long way from perfect, has made unsustainable species without compunction. As the Carting Away the Oceans project moves tremendous strides toward a more responsible These kinds of irresponsible actions bespeak forward, a schism is emerging among the seafood operation. a general disregard for our planet, our shared largest US seafood retailers. It is becoming resources, and our future. Companies that act clear that certain markets—such as Wegmans, Consumers deserve to be able to purchase this way do not merit our patronage. seafood from retailers that care about the Target, and Whole Foods—are deeply invested Greenpeace calls upon all seafood retailers to in making better decisions and providing safer, condition of our oceans and that properly steward our marine resources. The days of enact strong, effective, sustainable seafood more sustainable seafood options for their policies that will reduce pressure on flagging customers. At the same time, an opposite, selling fish with no regard for the environment are over. Companies have two choices—they can fish stocks and help heal our ailing oceans. dismal truth has become impossible to ignore: Intolerably destructive practices, such as bottom there are many seafood retailers that have yet to implement strong seafood policies and become leaders, or they can ignore reality and continue trawling and other high-bycatch fishing methods, take any responsibility for the seafood they sell, must be called out by name as unacceptable or for the damage they are doing to our oceans. their unsustainable seafood practices until many popular seafood items are no longer available. within these policies, which need to set guide- And increasingly, if they choose the latter course, lines that preclude purchasing fish from unsus- they will reap the wrath of a consumer public that tainable operations. These policies must also has simply had enough. include protocols that increase overall transpar- ency within the chain of custody, both to reduce © Greenpeace/ Adam Hunger page 4 Greenpeace April 2010 page 5 The Greenpeace campaign against Trader Joe’s comes to a successful conclusion as the company agrees to implement strong sustainability measures throughout its seafood operation page 7 March 2010 • ALDI partners with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership to develop new seafood policy • Target announces it will stop selling all farm-raised salmon February 2010 • Safeway partners with FishWise, drops grouper and monkfish • Trader Joe’s unofficially discontinues the sale of orange roughy January 2010 Second update of Carting Away the Oceans is released Top 5 Stores: (1) Wegmans (2) Ahold USA (3) Whole Foods (4) Target (5) Safeway December 2009 Bottom 5 Stores: (16) Winn-Dixie (17) Trader Joe’s (18) Meijer (19) Price Chopper (20) H.E. Butt • Wegmans publishes sustainable seafood policy; drops Atlantic halibut and orange roughy June 2009 • Target introduces in-store promotion of sustainable seafood • Wegmans asks U.S. State Department to curb pirate fishing May 2009 • Wal-Mart drops swordfish, shark and frozen orange roughy • Safeway removes red snapper from their stores In 2010, we find we ourselves theon cuspof major change.In 2010, A handfulof visionary companies begun have use sustainability to and environmental responsibility to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Unsustainable species orange like roughy and shark are disappearing from seafood sections a steady Over at clip. half twenty the top of seafood retailers in the United crafted States have seafood policies some degree, to reigned that have, in unsustainable sourcing practices. Companies and Whole Safeway like Foods are joining forces with independent third-party environmental groups FishWise like and the Aquarium Monterey Bay theirin order improve operations to better and sustainable to promote seafood to their customers. And on the Carting the Oceans Away scorecard, while still we await that firstretailer to achievethe green“Good” the of sectorrankings, halfof the companies analyzed in the report These attained now have statistics a “Pass.” indicate incredible progress. Certainly there is still a great deal be done, work of to the seafood retail important but it’s recognize to come. far how Truly, have we a moment not soon.