Serving up a sustainable seafood spread
University of Queensland researchers have found less than five per cent of the seafood served on Australian dinner tables is sustainable.
Tia Vella led a project as part of her honours program at UQ’s Faculty of Science, surveying more than 8,000 seafood products across 1,050 restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and takeaway shops in South East Queensland.
“It is possible to eat sustainable seafood, but it’s not commonly available so you really have to know what you’re looking for,” Ms Vella said.
“While recent changes make country of origin labelling mandatory in Australian hospitality venues, labelling can still be ambiguous and leave consumers confused as to what to buy.
“It's important to know which species you are eating, which country it came from, and which methods of farming or fishing was used to determine seafood that has the least social and environmental impact.
“As the global population grows, the increasing demand for fish as a food source has serious consequences for marine biodiversity, ecosystem function and ultimately human nutrition and welfare.”
The products assessed in the survey included fresh, raw, frozen, cooked, smoked, and canned seafood.
The researchers assessed the sustainability of each product using the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Sustainable Seafood Guide**.
Researchers say consumers can simplify their seafood shopping experience by observing two classifications:
Say No - considered highly unsustainable and to be avoided
Better Choice - the most sustainable option available
Products not listed in the guide were given the category ‘N/A’.
“Prawns are an Australian favourite, especially during summer, and the good news is that you can eat them sustainably,” Ms Vella said.
“We recommend sourcing farmed prawns in most cases.
“Other favourites such as barramundi, oysters and mussels should be Australian farmed rather than wild-caught or from international markets, which are unsustainable options for these species.
The researchers recommend consumers avoid salmon, where possible.
“Almost all salmon sold in Australia is farmed Atlantic salmon and classified by the Good Fish guide as ‘Say No’ due to the significant environmental impact salmon farms can have,” Ms Vella said.
“This is a rating that has potential to improve, but until then we recommend choosing a more sustainable fish option.
“Lobster is one of the more indulgent seafood items, and consumers will be happy to hear there are sustainable options to choose from.
“Try and go for Australian wild-caught Western, Eastern, or Tropical rock lobsters.”
The researchers said five simple tips can help seafood lovers choose delicious and diverse options when they go shopping:
Co-author Associate Professor Carissa Klein said Australia’s seafood labelling laws needed strengthening.
“At the moment consumers often don’t know which species they’re purchasing, let alone where or how it was caught or produced,” Dr Klein said.
“This is especially true of cooked seafood from cafes and fish and chip shops.
“To make matters worse, labelling laws currently only require packaged seafood products to provide information on where the product was processed, rather than where it’s actually caught or farmed.
Dr Klein said the sustainability of seafood produced in Australia is usually pretty good.
“But 62 per cent of the seafood available to us is from overseas – which is why most of the seafood available in supermarkets and cafes is unsustainable," she said
“That’s why it’s so important for consumers to have readily available information on what they’re buying and eating, and the impacts they have on the environment.
“The new mandate applying country of origin labelling to products sold in hospitality is a good step in the right direction, but more is needed.
“We’re hopeful our recommendations will help people when it comes to preparing a seafood platter, but also encourages them to think more about how they shop for seafood in general.”
The research is published in CSIRO Publishing’s Marine & Freshwater Research.
**The Good Fish guide is continually being updated as the sustainability of seafood species changes over time, so keeping an eye on the guide will ensure you’ll be able to make sustainable choices.
Media: Associate Professor Carissa Klein, c.klein@uq.edu.au, +61 401 582 606; Faculty of Science Media, science.media@uq.edu.au, +61 438 162 687.
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