A report was published in the journal 'Nature' this week that criticizes the Marine Stewardship Councils' certification program. According to the report, the non-profit council certifies sustainably harvested fish, but is failing to protect the environment. Recent certification of the krill fishery, despite evidence that krill are in decline, prompted researchers to dig deeper. In addition, the US trawl Pollock fishery was recently recommended for recertification even though the spawning biomass of Pollock has fallen by 64% in the last five years. The MSC was created in 1997 and since then it has become the most recognized certification standard for sustainable fisheries worldwide. MSC blue labels are found on fish and seafood products in grocery stores throughout North America and Europe. The report was written by University of British Columbia researcher, Jennifer Jacquet, noted UBC fisheries biologist, Daniel Pauly, as well as various colleagues in the US and Italy. The authors claim that the council should adopt more stringent standards, alter its' process to avoid potential financial incentive to certify fisheries and adopt a more concrete definition for 'sustainability'.

The Aquaculture Dialogues' standards for pangasius and bivalves have been completed by the World Wildlife Fund. The Aquaculture Dialogues process is used to create measurable and performance-based certification standards. The dialogues received input from over 400 individuals and outreach meetings were held with farms in Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, Australia and Canada. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council, due to be established and in operations by mid-2011, will oversee the certification process. The aquaculture industry is growing at a tremendous rate and there is a need for standards that are created through an open and transparent certification process. Last week, Global Aquaculture Alliance finalized its' Best Aquaculture Practices.

MarketPlace IGA stores across British Columbia now offer Ocean Wise sustainable seafood products. The decision to partner with Ocean Wise was based on increasing "consumer demand for sustainable seafood". MarketPlace IGA is one of many retailers that are now encouraging consumers to choose sustainable seafood products. Ocean Wise is expanding across Canada and is quickly becoming a trusted symbol of ocean-friendly seafood for consumers.

Salmon and Halibut menu items served at Earls Restaurants have been given the OceanWise stamp of approval. Alym Hirji, Executive Chef at Earls Restaurants, interviews Mike McDermid, OceanWise Program Manager, to provide insight on sustainable seafood and an explanation of the OceanWise Program. Click on the link below to be directed to the Earls Blog where you can watch this educational video.

Costco, one of the nations largest wholesale food distributors, has responded to pressure from shareholders and adopted a more comprehensive sustainable seafood policy. Concerns expressed by shareholders included changing Costco's procurement and best practices policies for fish stocks listed as threatened by the Federal government. Consequently, Costco will stop selling seven fish species that are currently at risk of collapsing from over-fishing. Costco has also begun working with its farmed salmon suppliers to ensure compliance with the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue.

Six months ago at the Walmart Canada Green Business Summit, various Canadian companies committed to providing progress reports on their sustainability initiatives. These initiatives include everything from waste, energy and water commitments to sustainable products and services. Walmart Canada set several sustainable seafood goals, such as sourcing wild-caught fresh and frozen fish from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries, sourcing its' farm-raised fish from vendors who adhere to Best Aquaculture Practices and requiring that all canned tuna comes from suppliers who are members of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. The deadline for these goals is 2013. Walmart Canada is working with non-governmental organizations and vendor-partners to ensure that they are sourcing environmentally responsible seafood and that their actions have a positive impact on seafood sustainability around the globe. Various other Canadian companies have made commitments as a part of the Sustainability Challenge. Latest updates on these companies can be found at ShareGreen.ca.

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is recommending new nutritional guidelines for seafood. Americans are not eating enough seafood - the benefits far outweigh the risks. Some benefits associated with eating seafood include better brain development in babies and improved heart health in adults. The Guidelines serve as the basis for Federal nutrition policy and programs in the USA. For more information click "Read More" below. From this link you can also view the 3-minute video entitled "Snack-sized Seafood Update: 2010 Changes to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)".

Scientists believe that changes to the oceans' chemistry along the Washington coast is the reason behind why wild Pacific oysters have not reproduced in six years. Ocean chemistry changes, which are linked to fossil fuel emissions, has resulted in corrosive water finding its' way to the Puget Sound. Acidic water can have a large impact on marine life - it can alter a squids' metabolism, change the shape of sea-urchin larvae, and even lead fish in the wrong direction for prey. The unique thing about the West Coast is that deeper waters are acidifying more rapidly and are coming closer to shore than anyone predicted. Northwest winds seem to be pushing those waters up along the coast, where most sea creatures live. This 'upwelling' has been linked to the oyster die-offs, but it may or may not be the sole contributing factor to their decline. The increased acidity in the Pacific Northwest has resulted in researchers scrambling to expand lab facilities, enabling them to better predict the consequences on all types of marine species.

Canada's Pacific Sablefish fishery has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The two-unit assessment, completed by Moody Marine, was for vessels using Korean longline, as well as vessels using longline hook and line. The Pacific Sablefish fishery is part of the Groundfish Integration Program for BC and has already implemented sustainable management practices, such as 100 percent electronic at-sea monitoring. The fishery is BC's fifth and Canada's 11th fishery to receive MSC certification.

The fish and seafood industry is benefiting from the demand in restaurants for more healthy and low-calorie menu items. The number of healthy menu items offered by restaurants across the US grew 65% over the same period last year. Low-calorie options are expected to become more popular when the US Healthcare Bill goes into effect - the Bill will require all restaurants with 20 or more locations to include calorie counts on their menus. Forty-nine percent of consumers are already eating healthier when dining out and 60% think that nutritional information should be provided on menus. The growing popularity of healthy and low-calorie foods is an opportunity for the seafood industry - health benefits of seafood are well documented.