At Ocean King we demand that our suppliers adhere to sustainable fishing practices to ensure the continued health of fish populations in our marine environments. Our suppliers are therefore audited regularly. Any new products we may launch will also be scrutinised to ascertain the level of sustainable practices involved in their harvesting and packing. Only once we are satisfied our criteria are met, will we bring these to market.
Our oceans are a vast source of considerable economic, recreational and cultural benefits.
A significant proportion of the world’s population, 2.6 billion people, depends on the oceans for food or income. And due to the numerous health benefits it affords, seafood has grown in popularity the world over, so much so that the average person eats 6 kg more fish every year now than in the 60’s. But, as much as the ocean has always been considered an inexhaustible resource, the reality is that it is limited in its supply.
Seafood Choice
Everyone knows that eating fish is good for you, but have you stopped to think if eating fish is good for the environment?
How much do you really know about your favourite seafood? Do you know that not all fish are equal, and that if you knew more, you might want to make different choices?
A species list has been compiled by The South African Sustainable Seafood Institute (SASSI) to help you make choices that are better for the environment. This list will inform you about the conservation status of popular Southern African fish species and allow you to consider your seafood choices from an ecological perspective.
The good news is that all Ocean King® products are on the SASSI Green List. Although the SASSI list pertains to those fish species found or fished only in South African waters (all current Ocean King products are imported, making the list not applicable in our case), we feel it is important that we support SASSI and spread as much information regarding our seafood sources as possible for the prolonged health of these resources.
“These are species that are from relatively healthy and well-managed populations that can sustain current fishing pressure. Some green species are not targeted by any particular fishery, but are managed as a sustainable bycatch. These species are recommended as the most sustainable choices available.” – http://www.wwf.org.za/sassi/
Why should you care?
Unsustainable fishing is a reality. This means that the populations of some fish in our oceans have been reduced to fractions of the population levels that they were at before humans started catching them. When a fish species is overfished it becomes less and less available until it all but disappears from your fish market and restaurant menu. Continued overfishing is detrimental to everyone involved, from the fish and ecosystem, to the communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing, through to seafood retailers, and you, the consumer.
How can you become a conscious seafood lover?
Be an informed seafood lover and make choices that will ensure a healthy seafood supply now and in the future. Not all types of seafood are equal. Use the list to choose fish from healthy populations, and relieve the pressure on overexploited species. By giving them a break their populations can recover and they can once again become more widely available. By saying “NO” to fish that are caught and sold illegally you can help to fight unsustainable environmental practice. Your choices can help ensure the sustainable use of our marine resources.”
Source – http://www.wwf.org.za/sassi/SASSI
For more information on SASSI and the Consumer’s Species List go to:
www.wwf.org.za/sassi/
Carbon Footprint
How far has your fish traveled to get to your plate?
It is an unfortunate reality that certain fish are cheaper to buy if they have been fished in one corner of the world, shipped to be canned in another and then shipped again to the market in which they are sold.
Ocean King® endeavors to minimise the distance your fish has to be transported from cannery to shelf in order to reduce its environmental impact. This may result in certain fish products not being available within our range – it is a conscious choice.
Work out the carbon footprint of your fish by using the Friend of the Sea Seafood Carbon Footprint and Offset Cost Calculator
http://www.friendofthesea.com/
TUNA DOLPHIN FRIENDLY POLICY
Tuna schools often swim under dolphin pods and some fisherman use the dolphins to locate the tuna. But some unacceptable fishing methods — particularly drift and gill netting — can put dolphins at risk.
OCEAN KING® will never buy tuna caught in any manner which knowingly harms or kills dolphins or other marine species.
Industry action for the sustainable harvesting of tuna
Ocean King tuna is caught using purse seine methods. This involves the use of a large net to encircle shoaling fish. The net is then drawn closed around the shoal like a bag. As purse seine vessels target small pelagic shoaling fish such as sardines and anchovies, and the gear is selective, bycatch of other species is normally low.
The primary potential impact of catching these species is termed the ´ecosystem effect´. Small pelagic fish (ie those that live in areas of the sea that are not close to the bottom or near to the shore) are ecologically important as prey for many marine predators (sharks, seals and seabirds)- therefore, if too many are caught it may affect the health of the entire ecosystem.
Although the species of tuna used in Ocean King (skipjack) has healthy stocks in the Western and Central Pacific, some measures have been implemented to ensure this healthy status is maintained:
- Pocket fishing has been banned (fishing outside of a 200 mile radius of the 8 Island States)
- IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing has been banned and there are now monitors on boats ensuring compliance
- FAD (fish aggregating devices) which are used to attract shoals of tuna which are then purse-seined will be banned for 90 days between the period of July and October
Ocean King will never knowingly purchase any raw material that:
- contravenes any international regulation pertaining to the sustainable fishing of any species, or
- is fished using methods proven to be detrimental to the longevity of our natural resources (being the target fish species itself, any bycatch, or the physical environment in which these species live)
Ocean King will face any environmental issues head-on with the goal of neutralizing or minimizing any detrimental effects, and continuously strives to educate consumers on healthy seafood choices by the open dissemination of knowledge regarding the industry.