Seafood Watch

Seafood Watch

By: Richard Dickey

Seafood Watch is a program that was started by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Like the eco-labeling program of the Marine Stewardship Council, this program is used to help consumers differentiate between marine products that are sustainable and those that arent'. The questions asked by the program are ones like, what are the effects on the ecosystem by fishing this particular fish? Are the ways in which fish are caught damaging the habitats of other fish?

The seafood watch is a list, which started as just a small brochure, has now grown to books, and larger pamphlets. The Watch is designed to inform the consumer. This is done by wallet guides, or even iPhone apps. The guide has 3 simple questions for consumers. They are:

1. 
   
   
   Where is this from?
2. 
   
   
   Is it wild caught or farmed?
3. 
   
   
   If it's wild caught where is it from?

These questions will help to determine weather the fish was sustainably caught, or was caught using large fishing nets that damage the environment and catch other marine life.

The best thing a consumer can do is to ask these questions. By asking, large companies are taking action to find out if their fish are sustainable. Companies like Wal Mart are already changing how they go about getting fish because of the actions of consumers. All it takes is being inquisitive.