Whole Foods Market has announced it is partnering with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch programme and the Blue Ocean Institute to label all the wild-caught seafood in its North American stores according to the sustainability criteria of science-based organisations.
The Texas-based natural foods chain said it is the first national grocer to provide science-based sustainability ratings for wild-caught seafood.
Customers will see green Best Choice, yellow Good Alternative and red Avoid labels next to every seafood item being sold, and similar information – using Whole Foods' own criteria – for farmed seafood.
Whole Foods has also pledged to eliminate all red-list seafood by Earth Day 2013.
"At the end of the day, it’s a team effort. Our customers, buyers, fishermen and fishery managers can all make smart decisions that move us in the direction of greater seafood sustainability," said Carrie Brownstein, Whole Foods Market seafood quality standards co-ordinator.
"Blue Ocean Institute and Monterey Bay Aquarium are both highly respected for the strength of their science-based seafood programmes which evaluate fisheries on life history, abundance, habitat impacts, management practices and bycatch. The new colour-coded rating system is a transparent way to display sustainable choices, and it deepens our commitment to having fully sustainable seafood departments.”
Whole Foods Market joins two other significant Aquarium partners: Compass Group and Aramark, the two largest foodservice companies in North America.
Like Whole Foods, they have pledged to phase out red-ranked seafood in the next several years, and are shifting their purchases toward more sustainable items.
"We’re delighted to help Whole Foods Market expand its commitment to offering seafood from sustainable sources," said Michael Sutton, who oversees the Aquarium's Seafood Watch programme. "Whole Foods Market is a leader in the field, and its decision will have a real impact on seafood suppliers and other retailers."
