How to identify sustainably caught fish

Since that emblematic campaign ‘Pezqueñines no, gracias’ it has rained, but the conservation of sea resources is still a concern. There is still work to be done in raising the awareness of fishermen and consumers about the need to develop sustainable fishing, understood as that which can be maintained indefinitely without compromising the viability of the population of a species, and without exerting a negative impact on others within it. of the ecosystem, including people.

Although in recent years this concept has gained presence, the truth is that it is a concern with many years of life. It was in 1995 when the FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) drafted the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. A document that reflects the importance of using fishing resources responsibly. However, more than a quarter of a century after it saw the light of day, many gaps remain.

According to data from the FAO, in its latest report (dating from 2020) on the situation of fisheries around the world, some 179 million tons of fish and shellfish are caught every year, of which 156 million are destined for consumption. human. Forecasts indicate that, in 2030, the catch data will rise to 204 million tons.

What is worrying is that the fraction of fish stocks that are within biologically sustainable values ​​has gone from 90% in 1974 to 65.8% in 2017. In other words, we are fishing “beyond our means”, decimating the marine population, with all the consequences that this entails.

Despite this fact, the FAO is optimistic. Since this Code of Conduct was launched, the foundation has carried out regular checks on the progress that the different countries are making in this area. And, he assures, more and more countries are interested in these practices and in developing their own tools.

The problem? That most nations, despite saying that they want their fishing to be sustainable and develop policies to comply with it, allege a lack of resources (both economic and human) to implement these initiatives.

Without going any further, in our country there is still no legislation in this regard, although the Government has promised to launch this law throughout this year. A movement that will be important, given that Spain accounts for 20% of all European fishing production.

This lack of regulation is especially sensitive in Spain, since it is one of the countries with the largest fleet and volume of fishing in all of Europe. Although the national fishing grounds have suffered exhaustion in the past, since 2008 this situation has been reversing thanks, among other actions, to the measures promoted by the European Union.

In fact, this same body launched the ‘Taste The Ocean’ campaign last year, with which they encouraged consumers to buy sustainable fish and shellfish. In addition, the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund for the period 2021-2027 will allocate 6,108 million euros to promote sustainable fishing and support coastal communities in all the countries of the Union.

The FAO recalls the importance of fishing being sustainable, both at an environmental, economic and social level, since its activity is the livelihood of a large population. For this reason, and in line with SDG 14 (leave no one behind), the FAO recalls that artisanal fishermen’s access to maritime resources and markets must be facilitated.

But how is it guaranteed that the fish we consume complies with these policies? Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization that has been working in this direction for more than 20 years and has a fishery certification program, supported by other NGOs such as WWF.

According to their data, in our country each year it is certified that 95,000 tons of the fish that is caught is done in a sustainable way. 400 ships from the Spanish fleet or linked to Spanish companies that operate under the MSC sustainability standard participate in this capture.

In addition to them, there are another 290 companies (18 new companies in the last year) that have the Chain of Custody Standard, which also guarantees sustainability throughout the process.

Some of these catches are translated into products that reach the markets and supermarkets, which include a Blue Seal that certifies that the fishing has been carried out in a sustainable way. According to data from the organization, this seal is visible on 483 products marketed in our country, which represents 20,000 tons of consumption.

The good news is that, from one year to the next, we Spaniards have consumed 24% more sustainable fishing than the previous year.

In our country there are nine fisheries certified under the MSC Fisheries Standard: the Asturias octopus fishery, the Echebastar Indian Ocean skipjack tuna fishery, the AGARBA Group cod fishery, the Cantabrian anchovy fishery and the Gulf sardine fishery of Vizcaya (currently suspended), in addition to the bonito fishery in the north of the Bay of Biscay, the yellowfin tuna fishery in Jealsa, the ANABAC yellowfin tuna fishery and the AGAC Eastern Pacific yellowfin tuna fishery.

According to a study carried out by the University of Cantabria, eco-labels raise the prices of fish product companies.