Position Paper on the Use of Fish and Fish Products Position Paper on the Use of Fish and Fish Products
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
28.August 2014 Position paper on the use of fish and fish products Position paper on the use of fish and fish products (February 2012) The Federal Ministry of Health recommends at least 1 to 2 times fish per week in the Austrian food pyramid. The ecological consequences of this recommendation when fish from unsustainable fisheries is consumed are enormous. 32 % of the world’s fisheries are irreversibly overexploited, another 53 % of the fish stocks are depleted and show decreasing catch results. It is therefore especially important to prefer fish types whose population is not endangered or whose catch or aquaculture does not cause damage to the environment. From an ecological point of view the consumption of fish can therefore only be recommended to a limited extent. According to EU Regulation 2065/2001 the following information shall be given on the price label or on the packaging for both fresh fish and packed frozen fish in order to enable the consumers to choose the respective fish: specification of the type of fish (commercial designation), method of production (aquaculture or wild caught) and the area in which it was caught (or farmed). Convenience products, such as processed fish, cans and salads are, however, exempted from this regulation. Position on the use of fish and fish products: Recommended fish of the greenlist shall be chosen. Fish types of the yellowlist are accepted by “ÖkoKauf Wien” in cases of urgent need. Fish on the redlist are endangered species and shall not be used. Recommendation: Fish of the greenlist come from sustainable fisheries or organic aquacultures, these fish stocks are classified as stable. “ÖkoKauf Wien” recommends the use of fish of the greenlist such as fish from organic aquacultures, fish from domestic production and sea fish from certified fisheries. Fish types of the yellowlist can only be recommended to a limited extent, however, in cases of urgent need they may be used. Fish types of the redlist are either bred in aquacultures with negative impacts on the environment or are strongly endangered in nature. Catching them causes a big amount of unwanted bycatch and hence also endangers other species. Therefore the use of fish from the redlist is prohibited. The same recommendation applies to convenience products; fish and fish products from the green and the yellowlist shall preferably be used as far as this is indicated by their labelling. If such ready-made products do not specify the type of fish or origin and hence the criteria of the position paper cannot be applied these products may be used in cases of urgent need. As an eco-friendly alternative to cover the dietical need of healthy and valuable omega-3 fatty acids which are mainly found in sea fish it is recommended to use vegetable oils, linseed, rape, walnuts and domestic soya as an additional source of omega-3 fatty acids. The environmental organisations Greenpeace and WWF investigated the endangerment of the different fish species and graded them as acceptable, critical or calamitous. The following types of fish coming from the stated region of origins are generally acceptable and can be used in the kitchen. More information on acceptable fish, their fishing zones and fishing methods can be found in the sources specified below. FISHING RECOMMENDED FISH ORIGIN SOURCE METHOD ALL fish from organic aquaculture Worldwide Organic WWF aquaculture ALL fish with MSC certification Worldwide MSC wild WWF caught Alaska pollock/ Arctic cod - MSC Worldwide MSC wild WWF caught Trout Austria Aquaculture, Greenpeace wild caught Trout - organic Austria, Europe Organic Greenpeace, WWF aquaculture Gilt-head sea bream - organic Mediterranean Sea Organic WWF aquaculture Halibut Europe Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Halibut - MSC caught Worldwide MSC wild WWF Herring - MSC caught New Zealand Wild caught WWF Hoki – MSC Cod Eastern Baltic Sea Wild caught WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Cod - MSC caught Carp Europe, Austria Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Carp - organic Austria organic Greenpeace aquaculture Salmon Eastern Pacific (USA) Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Pacific salmon Salmon - organic Worldwide Organic WWF aquaculture Salmon, wild Alaskan salmon - MSC Worldwide MSC wild WWF caught Mackerel North Atlantic Sea Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Mackerel - MSC caught Iridescent shark / shark catfish - Vietnam Organic Greenpeace, WWF organic aquaculture Arctic cod/Alaska pollock – MSC Worldwide MSC wild WWF caught Char/ brook trout Europe, Austria Aquaculture Greenpeace Char/ brook trout - organic Europe, Austria Aquaculture Greenpeace Anchovy France Bay of Biscay Wild caught WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Sardine – MSC caught Haddock Northeast Arctic Wild caught WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Haddock – MSC caught Worldwide MSC wild WWF Plaice – MSC caught Plaice / coalfish Northeast Arctic Wild caught WWF Worldwide MSC wild WWF Plaice / coalfish – MSC caught Shrimps and prawns - organic Worldwide Organic WWF aquaculture Shrimps and prawns - MSC Worldwide MSC wild WWF caught Sprat North Sea & Baltic Wild caught WWF Sea Tilapia Honduras, Indonesia, Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Europe and USA Tilapia – organic Worldwide Organic WWF aquaculture Tuna Worldwide MSC wild WWF Bonito/Skipjack caught Worldwide MSC wild WWF Tuna, white – MSC caught Tuna, Bonito/Skipjack Maldives Wild caught WWF Victoria perch – organic Tanzania Organic WWF aquaculture Sea bass – organic Mediterranean Sea Organic WWF aquaculture Zander – organic Europe Organic Greenpeace aquaculture FISHING ACCEPTABLE FISH ORIGIN SOURCE METHOD Alaska pollock / Arctic cod Northwest Pacific Wild caught WWF Trout Northern Europe Aquaculture, WWF wild caught Prawns, crabs North Sea Wild caught WWF Halibut Northeast Arctic, Wild caught WWF Norwegian Sea Herring Celtic Sea, Western Wild caught WWF, Greenpeace Baltic Sea, Northeast Arctic Cod Iceland, Northeast Wild caught WWF Arctic, Norwegian Sea, Western Baltic Sea Dab Northeast Atlantic Wild caught WWF Salmon Ireland, Norway, Wild caught / WWF Scotland aquaculture Common mussel North Sea Wild caught / WWF aquaculture Iridescent shark - GAP Vietnam Aquaculture, WWF Germany Global Gap certified Arctic cod/Alaska pollock Northwest Pacific Wild caught WWF Anchovy Iberian waters, Wild caught WWF, Greenpeace Eastern Central Atlantic Sardine Mediterranean Sea, Wild caught WWF Northeast Atlantic, Eastern Central Atlantic Haddock North Sea, Iceland, Wild caught WWF Norwegian Sea, Northeast Atlantic Plaice Baltic Sea Wild caught WWF Saithe / coalfish Northeast Atlantic Wild caught WWF Tuna Pacific Ocean Wild caught WWF true Bonito = Skipjack Zander Western Europe Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF NOT ACCEPTABLE FISHING ORIGIN SOURCE FISH METHOD Eel Europe Wild caught / WWF aquaculture Alaska pollock/ Arctic cod Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace see above Atlantic blue marlin Worldwide Wild caught WWF Trout Turkey, Chile Aquaculture WWF Gilt-head sea bream Mediterranean Sea, Aquaculture WWF excluding organic aquaculture Orange roughy Worldwide Wild caught WWF Sharks and skates Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Halibut Northeast Atlantic, Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Northwest Atlantic Hoki, blue hake Pacific Wild caught Greenpeace Scallop Northeast Atlantic, Wild caught WWF Mediterranean Sea Cod Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF see above Salmon Chile, Northeast Wild caught / Greenpeace, WWF Atlantic, Western aquaculture Pacific Ling Northeast Atlantic Wild caught WWF Mackerel Eastern Central Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Atlantic Arctic cod / Alaska pollock Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace see above Iridescent shark Vietnam, Thailand Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Red Snapper Worldwide Wild caught WWF Redfish North Atlantic Wild caught WWF St. Peters fish Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace Anchovis Worldwide, excluding Wild caught WWF, Greenpeace see above Sardine Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace see above Haddock Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF see above Dogfish/Sea eel (spiny dogfish) Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Plaice Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF see above Swordfish Worldwide Wild caught WWF Hake Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Saithe/ coalfish Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace see above Monkfish North Atlantic Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Sole Northeast Atlantic, Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Mediterranean Sea Spined loach/catfish/wolf fish North Atlantic Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF Shrimps and prawns Worldwide, excluding Wild caught/ Greenpeace, WWF see above aquaculture Sprat Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace see above Squid/Octopus Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace Tilapia Worldwide, excluding Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF see above Tuna Worldwide, excluding Wild caught Greenpeace, WWF (in retail light tuna, bigeye tuna, see above bluefin tuna, red tuna or yellowfin, Albacore, Bonito del Norte) Tuna Indian Ocean Wild caught WWF true Bonito = Skipjack Victoria perch Tanzania Wild caught WWF Whiting Worldwide Wild caught Greenpeace Sea bass/Branzino Mediterranean Sea Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Zander Eastern Europe Aquaculture Greenpeace, WWF Sources: WWF guide on purchasing fish and seafood (WWF-Einkaufsratgeber Fisch und Meeresfrüchte, only available in German) 11/2011 www.wwf.at/de/fischfuehrer Greenpeace guide on fish (Greenpeace Fisch-Ratgeber, only available in German) 2011, http://marktcheck.greenpeace.at/fischratgeber.html More information was researched by "die umweltberatung" Vienna and is summarised in