A new campaign has launched urging the European Union to make full transparency mandatory for all seafood sold in the EU, including processed and imported products.
The Follow the Fish movement, started by conservation group Oceana, brings together key players including chefs, businesses, wholesalers, think tanks and NGOs to call for mandatory sustainability information on all seafood products.
Launched ahead of the Framework for Sustainable Food Systems, a new proposed EU law, the campaign is hoping to gain the attention of policy makers with a joint statement made to EU commissioners.
“Currently, EU consumers cannot always know whether the seafood they buy is sustainable and where many products come from,” said Marine Cusa, policy advisor at Oceana in Europe.
“Creating a mandatory sustainability ranking for all EU seafood products, irrespective of whether they are sold fresh or processed, and whether they were caught in or outside EU waters, would be a real game changer.”
Irene Kranendonk, impact manager at Fish Tales, a member of the movement, added: “Without mandatory traceability of all seafood products, Europe enables unsustainable and illegal seafood to enter the market and makes it impossible for consumers, fishmongers, and retailers to guarantee that a product has been produced in a responsible manner.”
