Food for thought: Love your seafood AND our oceans

  • Category
    Education
  • Published
    30 August 2011
  • Read time
    2 minutes

It’s no secret—Australians love their seafood! But a lot of the fish we love is not sustainably fished or farmed. Are you willing to swap your favourite yellow fin tuna for a more sustainable yellow eye mullet?

Yelloweye Mullet, <i>Aldrichetta forsteri</i>
Yelloweye Mullet at a depth of 1m, Hallett Cove, a southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, 12 March 2010. Image: David Muirhead
© David Muirhead

The Marine Stewardship Council certifies sustainably managed fisheries across the world. Certain seafood species carry an MSC label, which means that they are fished or farmed in an environmentally responsible way. The MSC publishes a list of these seafood species that carry their label.

EXAMPLES OF BEST SEAFOOD CHOICES (carry the MSC label):

  • Western Australian rock lobster
  • New Zealand hoki
  • Golden perch
  • Lulloway
  • Yellow eye mullet

EXAMPLES OF SEAFOOD TO AVOID (fished or farmed in an unsustainable way):

  • Deepwater sharks
  • Flathead
  • Smooth oreo dories
  • Southern scallop
  • Yellow fin tuna

To get a list of certified seafood in shops and restaurants, check out the Australian Marine Conservation Society website: where-to-buy . You can also check out this easy to use Sustainable Seafood Guide from the Australian Marine Conservation Society website: Sustainable seafood choices

So next time you’re at the fish market, the local grocery store or your favourite fish’n chip shop, think about choosing a fish that will be good for both your tastebuds and the environment.