A new report from Changing Markets foundation ranks 10 top UK retailers on how they are addressing the sustainability implications of the farmed seafood they sell
Almost one fifth of the global fish landings is used to produce fish meal or fish oil (FMFO) to feed livestock and farmed fish in aquaculture. As this industry expands, it is increasingly putting pressure on certain fish stocks used to produce FMFO. In West Africa, small pelagics stocks, especially sardinella, traditionally caught by artisanal fishermen, processed by women and consumed by the local population, are increasingly been overfished to supply fishmeal factories in Mauritania, Senegal and The Gambia, putting food security of the region at risk.
In this context, last October 2019, Changing Markets foundation published an in-depth report on the catastrophe of fishmeal production in the world, including the case of The Gambia. It stated that fishmeal industry was “precipitating the collapse of fish stocks, compromising food security, and destroying the social and economic fabric of communities living adjacent to historic fishing grounds at a time when the oceans are being pushed to the brink by the impacts of climate change, pollution and overexploitation.”
A woman fish processor in a market in The Gambia. Photo: Courtesy of Changing Markets.
Continuing with their campaign called “fishing the feed”, Changing Markets now published a report scoring the top 10 UK supermarkets on how they tackle the use of wild fish in their aquaculture supply chains. According to the report, UK consumers unknowingly consumed 172g of wild fish for every 100g of farmed fish eaten, “almost all of which could have been eaten directly by people.”
The worst-performing supermarket in addressing ocean sustainability implications of farmed seafood is ALDI, with policies and practices that “do not live up to the broader sustainability image it is cultivating.” Even though the middling score was 60%, seven retailers out of ten scored under 30%, including the high-end supermarket Waitrose. Changing Markets calls on all retailers to phase-out and end the use of wild-caught fish to feed farmed seafood before 2025.
More information:
Read the full report “Caught Out” by Changing Markets
Fishmeal booming industry in West Africa: depleting small pelagics stocks
Mauritania: how to ensure the sustainable exploitation of small pelagics
Report “Fishing for Catastrophe” – on fishmeal industry, including the case of The Gambia, by Changing Markets
What can you do: recommendations to reduce the use of FMFO for consumers, retailers, industry and policy-makers