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Promoting Sustainable Australian Fish And Seafood Words by Nicole Senior and Carolyn Stewardson

eafood is a nutritionally sustainability of our seafood recommended amounts of seafood important food and an supplies. The Fisheries Research and encourage them to choose Sinherent part of Australian and Development Corporation Australian . eating culture. However, consumers (FRDC) invests in research and are often unsure which seafood to development (R&D) related to Seafood supply in Australia eat. This is for a range of reasons, fishing and providing Australia produces an amazingly including not knowing enough about a knowledge resource covering diverse range of seafood. the defining features of differing fishing and aquaculture issues for Underpinning this production is a species or how to prepare and cook the public, industry and government. system that is them, as well as concerns about It is now investing in consumer rated among the top four worldwide. sustainability. education via Australian health and The Australian Bureau of Agricultural Fortunately, fisheries in Australia food science professionals to support and Resource Economics (ABARES) are focussed on ensuring ongoing clients and communities to eat the has reported that Australians

34 food australia Seafood consumption It is a public health challenge to increase seafood consumption across the population, and especially in socially disadvantaged groups. The Dietary Guidelines for Australians recommend including around two serves of fish or seafood a week, which is around 230g raw/200g cooked. The most recent survey of consumption by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows most Australians don’t eat near that amount. In fact, as a nation the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) says we need to increase our seafood consumption by 40% to meet recommendations.

How do we lift seafood consumption? Australian research has found the leading drivers of seafood consumption are health, taste and convenience. The main barriers are price, availability, concerns about quality and a lack of confidence in selecting and preparing seafood (Christenson JK et al 2016). Socio- economic status (SES) also plays a role; people of higher SES are more likely to eat seafood and consume species with higher omega-3 fat levels (Farmery et al 2018).

Is there enough seafood to consume around 16 kg per person omega-3 long chain fatty acids, support recommendations? per year. Domestic supply is 236,803 selenium, zinc and vitamins A and D. According to the EAT-Lancet tonnes – made up of 166,022 from It is a major source of iodine in the Commission on healthy diets from wild catch fisheries and 93,965 from Australian diet (especially saltwater sustainable food systems (Willett et aquaculture. species), an excellent source of al 2019), 196g seafood per person a Despite Australia’s good fluoride, and fish with edible bones week is globally sustainable – roughly management and diverse range of contribute significant amounts of equivalent to the two serves a week species, the reality is our production calcium. widely recommended (200g). Its is actually very small. This means From a health perspective, there healthy reference diet for an intake of the majority (70-75%) of seafood we are many reasons to recommend 2500 kcal/10,500kJ per day includes eat is imported, made up of mostly regular seafood consumption. The 28g of seafood a day, with a range frozen fish fillets and prawns and most common is a reduced risk of of 0-100g to account for regions canned seafood. There is significant cardiovascular disease but including without access to seafood and higher room to increase our consumption seafood regularly is also associated amounts for added health benefits. of local catch, both from growing with healthier ageing and longevity, aquaculture production and better better pregnancy and birth outcomes What is seafood utilising our . and reduced risk of depression, sustainability? type 2 diabetes and some cancers. There is no singularly agreed Seafood and health International guidelines consistently definition of seafood sustainability. Seafood, including fish is a nutritious recommend consumption of at least However, at its simplest, sustainability core food providing quality protein, two fish meals each week. means to be able to continue

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Stock status classifications used in the FRDC Status of Australian (SAFS) reports DESCRIPTION POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE STOCK

SUSTAINABLE Fish stock size () is above a minimum level (limit reference point) for the stock, and fishing pressure is adequately controlled (there is no ) DEPLETING Fish stock size is above a minimum level (limit reference point) for the stock, but fishing pressure is too high

RECOVERING Fish stock size is too low but fishing pressure is adequately controlled and stock is recovering

DEPLETED Fish stock size is too low and fishing pressure too high, or fishing pressure has been reduced but recovery not yet detected

UNDEFINED Not enough information available to make a reliable assessment

NEGLIGIBLE Catches are so low as to be considered negligible

production into the future at a rate impact, further aquaculture operations and most comprehensive report on that the environment can replenish look at animal health and welfare. the sustainability of Australia’s fish the system, while having limited stocks ever undertaken. The report negative impacts on the environment. Australian fisheries are being shows the majority of assessed The FRDC, with stakeholders managed sustainably stocks are sustainable – 85% were that included fishers, government Every two years the FRDC produces sustainable or recovering. Species and environmental groups, agreed Status of Australian Fish Stocks assessed as sustainable include all to a common set of definitions for (SAFS) reports, to assess sustainability five prawn species, all four lobster ecologically sustainable wild seafood. of our fish supply. The reports look species, and all five whiting species. Its framework looked at ensuring at whether there are enough fish to Southern Bluefin Tuna is now rated as impacts across five key elements were meet current and future needs and recovering from depleted. Only seven at acceptable levels. These are: target are based on a consistent national per cent of stocks are overfished and and by-product species, reporting framework developed by management plans are in place to species, threatened, endangered and fisheries scientists across Australia. rebuild the stocks. protected species, aquatic habitat, They bring together all the available The sustainability status of a and aquatic ecosystems. Of course, information on Australia’s key wild seafood species can vary state by not all of these apply to aquaculture catch fish stocks and give a rating state, therefore ensure you check the production. However, similar principles (and colour) to each species. data is relevant to your location or still apply around environmental The 2018 SAFS report is the largest the source of the catch. The latest

36 food australia SAFS report is available at fish.gov. all that can affect the environment brochure and a collection of family- au and the FRDC has also created a and seafood production. friendly recipes using Australian phone app for easy reference. The To reinforce their sustainability sustainable seafood species. The SAFS Sustainable Fish Stocks app credential Australia’s major resources can be accessed at is available from the App Store and aquaculture companies have sought www.fishfiles.com.au Google Play. to have their farms certified by independent third party certification References What about Aquaculture – this includes Aquaculture Farmery AK, Hendry G, O’Kane GM, McManus A, Green B. Sociodemographic Variation in Over 40 species of seafood are Stewardship Council (ASC), Best Consumption Patterns of Sustainable and commercially farmed in Australia, Aquaculture Practice and Global Nutritious Seafood in Australia. Front. Nutr. 2018;5:118 with Atlantic salmon making up the G.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices). largest proportion at around 55% of The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Christenson J, O’Kane G, Farmery A. The barriers and drivers of seafood consumption in Australia: total farmed volume. Other species reports 61% of the Australian salmon a narrative literature review. Int J Consum Studies include oysters, prawns, mussels, market is now ASC certified. 2017;1-15 barramundi, silver perch and Murray Willett W, Rockstrom J, Loken B et al. Food in the cod. New resources for health Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Australian aquaculture is tightly professionals Lancet Commissions 2019 regulated. The FRDC and key industry In 2018 the FRDC commissioned sectors have in place ongoing resources to better equip health Nicole Senior is an Accredited research programs to improve professionals to support their Practising Dietitian (APD) and principal practices and sustainability. Like all clients and communities to eat the consultant at Professional Nutrition forms of farming food production, recommended amounts of seafood Services, Sydney NSW. Carolyn they require constant monitoring to and encourage them to choose Stewardson is a research portfolio ensure best practice is maintained. Australian sustainable seafood. These manager at Fisheries Research and One key area that is very important are also useful for food industry Development Corporation (FRDC), to aquaculture is water quality. professionals. The suite of resources Canberra ACT. f Government monitors run off, algal includes an evidence review of blooms and discharge from farms – seafood and health, an online

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