The Future of Seafood The Seafood Choices Movement Michael Sutton Conservation & Science Program The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
(t/km 2 ) Biomass of table fish in 1900 (map: V. Christensen, SAUP)
Biomass of table fish in 1999 (map: V. Christensen, SAUP)
Fishing down marine food webs occurs everywhere.
We ve Exceeded the Limit of the Seas Sixty percent of the world s 200 most valuable marine fish species are overexploited and in urgent need of management... --U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization
75% of the world s fisheries are fully exploited, overexploited or depleted % of total stocks for which information is available 100% 80 Significantly depleted or recovering from depletion Overexploited 60 40 Fully exploited 20 0 Underexploited or moderately exploited Major global marine fish stocks* Source: FAO (2002). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2002.
Many Modern Fisheries are Wasteful and Destructive Worldwide, between 18 and 40 million tons of unwanted marine wildlife are caught incidental to commercial fishing operations and discarded at sea each year. --U.N. FAO Report
Fisheries are Heavily Subsidized Governments pay tens of billions of dollars each year to subsidize the commercial fishing industry, which generates only about $70 billion in revenue. --FAO estimate
Total fish production is increasing slowly, mostly due to enormous growth in aquaculture Global fish production (millions of tonnes) 150M 100 98 99 102 110 112 Total value of production 2000: $131B 120 123 118 127 130 129 Wild - non-food uses CAGR 96-01 0.3% 50 Wild - edible 0.9% 0 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Aquaculture 2001 11.0% Notes: Overall fish supply growth was 2.8 % between 1991-2001, 1.4% between 1996-2001; Assumes all aquaculture is for food uses Source: FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2002 ; FAO Trends in Global Aquaculture Production
Fish Farming is Growing Rapidly 2,300,000 2,200,000 Pacific Marine and Brackish Water Aquaculture Production: 1987-1996 2,100,000 Metric Tons 2,000,000 1,900,000 1,800,000 1,700,000 1,600,000 1,500,000 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
What to Do? Strengthen fisheries science Impose stricter catch limits Enact better fisheries laws, stronger treaties, tougher regulations Establish areas off-limits to fishing So far... None of this has worked! Public largely unaware & unconcerned Politics often defeats conservation
New Approaches Educate seafood purveyors and consumers about best choices Enlist market forces and the power of consumer choice for conservation Label seafood from healthy fisheries Build business support for better management
Europe and the U.S. are the two largest, environmentally progressive seafood markets Apparent consumption (millions of tonnes, 2001) 100% 80 60 40 99 Other Russia India US Japan EU+ EU+ & US: 16% of total Brazil Malaysia Vietnam Bngldsh Thailand Phillipines Korea Global import value ($B, 2001) 100% 80 60 40 $51B Other US EU+ EU+ & US: 45% of total Thailand Canada Korea Hong Kong China 20 China 20 Japan 0 Consumption 0 Imports Notes:EU+ includes EU member countries plus Switzerland and Norway; Consumption by country data assumes relative weighting of countries consumption stayed constant between 1999 and 2001. Apparent consumption defined as capture less inedible products plus imports minus exports. Excludes intra-eu trade. Source: FAO Fishstat; FAO Fish and Fishery Products Apparent Consumption, 1997-1999
The U.S. and Europe source seafood globally North America import flows Percent of total imports Europe import flows Notes: Average import flows for 1998-2000. Source: FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2002
U.S. Seafood Consumption (Per Capita) 18 16 15 15.6 14.8 15.6 Consumption (Pounds) 14 12 10 8 6 11.8 10.2 11 11.8 10.3 11.8 12.5 4 2 0 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002
Top 10 Favorite Seafood Species Number of Respondents (n=1640) 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Shrimp Salmon Catfish Cod Haddock Flounder Fish Patties Lobster Crabs Trout
U.S. Seafood Trends Americans are consuming more, while producing and exporting less Leading commodities: Shrimp, tuna, salmon, whitefish, catfish U.S. Seafood Deficit Growing: Domestic landings down Imports now make up 77% of total seafood consumed!
Dolphin-Safe Tuna Law failed to protect dolphins Consumer ire fanned by video Earth Day 1990: Starkist acts Dolphin mortality declines steeply Dolphin-Safe is the new norm
More People Have Taken Consumer Action Than Political Or Membership Actions recycle Not purchased product b/c harmful enviro impact Purchased b/c profits go to enviro cause Made enviro $ contribution Voted for cand on enviro Volunteered at env org Contacted elected officials Contacted media outlet 8% % taking such action in past 12 months Among environmentalists (6-10 on 10 pt scale) 15% 13% 42% 38% 59% 66% 93% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% conumer action political action member/donor action Data from The Mellman Group, 1997
The Worldwide Green Market Polls show consumers becoming more concerned about origins of food Research suggests green consumer movement is large and growing Majority of Americans willing to buy environmentally-friendly food products Consumers are hungry for information
Certification & Ecolabeling 1993: Forest Stewardship Council (Promotes well- managed forests) 1996: Marine Stewardship Council (Promotes sustainable fisheries) 1999: Marine Aquarium Council (Promotes cyanide- free saltwater aquarium fish)
Many People are Willing to Modify Their Purchasing Behavior to Help the Oceans 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% I would support actions to protect oceans, even if it meant paying more for seafood Only eat fish caught/farmed in a way that protects ocean 42% 44% 46% Outlaw fishing deadly to marine mammals even if it mean higher prices Not eat fished classified by govt as overfished 62% strongly agree very effective strongly agree almost certain/likely Data from BR&S 11/99, Mellman 6/96, Yale SFES 5/99
Seafood Industry is Complex Example: U.S. seafood supply chain U.S. fishermen U.S. aquaculture U.S. primary processors U.S. secondary processors Brokers and traders** Specialty seafood wholesalers / distributors Broadline foodservice distributors Retail Supermarkets Fish markets Foodservice Restaurants Hotels Consumers ($55B in purchases) Foreign fishermen Foreign aquaculture Foreign primary processors Foreign secondary processors Importers Institutions ** Bypassed relatively frequently in value chain Source: Derived from Mapping Global Fisheries and Seafood Sectors, Packard Foundation
Seafood Ecolabeling
Marine Stewardship Council Overfishing is bad for business Partners found common ground MSC launched in 1995 Market incentives influence politics
The Certification Process Client selects accredited certifier Confidential pre-assessment Client decides whether to proceed with full assessment Certification team conducts full assessment including consultations External peer review Final decision on certification
MSC Certification Process Chain of custody seeks and attains certification Labeled product becomes available in marketplace Consumers demand MSC-certified product ENGOs & others encourage fisheries to seek certification MSC sets a certification standard that some large fisheries can meet Fisheries seek certification ENGOs & others monitor assessment process Fisheries undergo assessment Processors/ retailers demand certified fish Fisheries are certified, some with corrective actions ENGOs & others monitor corrective actions Fisheries retain certification Improvement in marine conservation outcomes Some fisheries change practices Some fisheries change practices Some fisheries change practices Regulators change policy towards MSC standards
First Certified Fisheries
MSC has certified 7 fisheries; 11 are in process, suggesting sustained interest Alaskan Salmon SW Mackerel Handline Certified fisheries (year of certification) Thames Herring Burry Inlet Cockles MSC founded W. Australian Rock Lobster (1st certified) New Zealand Hoki Loch Torridon Nephrops 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 BC Salmon S. African Hake Alaskan Halibut In-process fisheries (certification process start year) Baja Spiny Lobster Alaska Pollock N. Sea Herring BC Halibut South Georgia Toothfish Chilean Hake Alaskan Sablefish Mackerel Icefish Source: MSC website
First Labeled Products First MSC Labeled Seafood Appears on World Markets
MSC Labelled Product Lines Over Time Mar 00 - July 03 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Apr-00 Aug-00 Dec-00 Apr-01 Aug-01 Dec-01 Apr-02 Aug-02 Dec-02 Apr-03 M a r 2 0 0 0 : We s te rn A us tra lia ro c k lo bs te r Mar 2000: Thames herring Sep 2000: Alaska salmon Mar 2001: New Zealand hoki May 2001: Southwest Handline mackerel April 2001: Burry Inlet cockles Jan 2003: Loch Torridon Creel Nephrops
MSC is in process to certify 4% of global wild, edible supply of seafood Percent of 2001 global fish supply 100% 80 128.8M 61.9M 2.6M 2.6M Aquaculture C Hake SA Hake NS Herring S. Lobster Toothfish BC Halibut Sablefish BC Salmon AK Halibut 60 40 20 0 Non-food use Other wild-caught edible MSC fisheries* World supply Other wild-caught edible MSC fisheries* World edible wild-caught *Includes both certified and in-process fisheries 1 For comparison, organic foods make up about 2% of U.S. grocery sales Source: FishSTAT; MSC website; Wall Street Journal (7/29/03) Certification in-process Certification achieved Certification status Pollock Hoki AK Salmon MSC fisheries* T Herring Nephrops Mackerel Cockles R. Lobster
FSC Success: Supply 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 Certificates 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Million Acres 0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Number of Chain-of-Custody Certificates Certified Forest Area in millions of acres 0
Promoting Seafood Choices Seafood Watch, Give Swordfish a Break, and Seafood Lover s Almanac all successful
An Informed Food Service Sector can be the Gatekeeper to Seafood Consumers 67% $31B Restaurant/ Food Service Consumers Fragmented, but with opinion leaders Profitable Fishing Industry Wholesalers 9% $4B Processors and Distributors Retailers Consumers- Branded Products Very fragmented Low profitability (Pre-tax margins <3%) Concentrated Profitable Fragmented but not in top tier Low Profitability 24% $11B Retailers Fragmented but not in top tier Low Profitability Consumers- Fresh Seafood
Promoting Seafood Choices Caviar Emptor campaign works with gourmets
The Seafood Choices Alliance Membership growing fast Provides information on best choices Coordinates action www.seafoodchoices.org
Sustainable Seafood Seafood Choices initiative part of a larger movement Growing preference for local, seasonal, sustainable cuisine Movement not led by consumers; gatekeeper chefs/companies are key Consumer awareness programs are gaining ground in major markets
Potential Benefits Opportunity to highlight sustainability in the public eye Access to new markets through MSC certification Powerful incentives for more effective management Healthy oceans = more seafood