Supermarket Chain Stops Selling 7 Fish Species

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http://www.care2.com/greenliving/supermarket-chain-stops-selling-7-fish-species.htmlposted by Jake Sep 25, 2010 7:03 amBluefin tuna, sharks, orange roughy, skates and rays will no longer be sold at Metro supermarkets, since these seven species are overfished. Metro also does not sell Chilean Sea Bass, New Zealand hoki, or Canadian Cod. Metro’s removal of the overfished species is due to their sustainable seafood policy. They placed fifth out of eight in a Greenpeace ranking of supermarket chains. Greenpeace evaluated the fish-selling practices of Canadian supermarket chains, and found some of them lacking. In 2009, Metro actually placed last in the Greenpeace ranking, but they have made some progress since then.Greenpeace Ocean Campaigner King said, “It’s encouraging to see Metro implementing its policy and taking the issue of overfishing seriously. Metro’s stopping the sale of Atlantic cod in particular shows a commitment to the future health of Canada’s fish stocks. We are asking all retailers still selling this species to follow suit.†(Source: Canadian Newswire)According to Canadian Newswire, it is now Costco Canada who continues selling fish GreenPeace says are too vulnerable right now for public consumption. Atlantic farmed salmon and yellowfin tuna are still reported to be sold at all eight major supermarkets. (The farmed salmon are on the list because of the harmful impacts of salmon fish farming.) Farmed salmon also can contain high levels of PCBs. Yellowfin tuna caught by long lines, are believed to be high in mercury. Also, when they are caught

with long lines, other species like sharks, sea turtles and sea birds can die. Purse seining is also employed to catch yellowfin, a method which damages other species.The environmental group is campaigning to have all their Red List fish removed from supermarkets until they can recover to a level that is sustainable. The Canadian Red List includes Atlantic haddock, Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, Atlantic salmon (farmed), Atlantic sea scallops, Chilean sea bass, Orange roughy Artic surf clams, New Zealand Hoki, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, swordfish, tropical shrimps and prawns. Three species of Canadian Cod have declined

ninety percent since the 1960s due to overfishing. (Source: CBC News)Image Credit: PengoRelated