How can I help from Tucson, Arizona?

The way to ensure the future of our oceans is protected is to buy ecologically safe seafood when you purchase it at the grocery store. The Gulf of California heavily influences the seafood industry in Arizona, which means we are directly affected by their overfishing and destructive methods.

What is the COOL Law?
Country of Origin Label. It is illegal to not have one of these on your seafood from the grocery store, although it is slightly unregulated. Knowing where your seafood comes from can be very informative, because some countries practice more environmentally friendly fishing tactics than others.


I don't know where to buy sustainable seafood!
Major corporations like Safeway and Wal-Mart have made the commitment to only buy sustainable seafood, but as data in this research experiment reveals, some seafood in the store is not as good for our oceans as claimed. However, for beginners, it is easy to make a change to purchasing seafood from these stores instead of those that neglect the environmental aspect all together.

 


Also, other users of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app for your iPhone have logged in what seafood certain stores carry, which is very helpful at the grocery store. As more people use the app and log in grocer sustainability status', it will become more useful to other users.

What is "farmed" fish that I see in parenthesis on the tri-fold?
Farmed fish mean that they are a product of aquaculture, which are confined pens in the open oceans where fish are bred commercially primarily for consumption. These are good for the environment because they do not threaten a major decline in the wild populations. However, aquaculture conditions vary by each fish species because they each have distinct characteristics required for farming. There are still issues with aquaculture, like interbreeding of wild and farmed fish, disease outburst, and the effect of fishmeal upkeep on those populations. These effects are minor compared to the possibility of a fully sustainable source of fish protein in aquaculture, and is considered the "best" list of seafood watch food. Salmon and tilapia are common fish that are primarily farmed.

http://www.nireus.com/40_2/The-Mediterranean-Fish-Farming

What about sushi?
There is also a sushi guide that research from this study was not conducted for, but is still helpful! It is also accessible via a pocket guide, and a downloadable app on the specific sushi page.

Who is behind these labels for sustainable fisheries?
The Marine Stewardship Council was established in 1997 and operates as a private sector. Instead of government mandated fisheries, this is an independent ownership that encourages consumers to make the right decision to protect exploited species, and corporations will respond to this consumer demand.