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New Zealand Seafood Conference
Monday,24 May,2010 09:05:58
Things might not be perfect in New Zealand but there can be no misunderstanding that the New Zealand seafood industry does get strong political support when they can get their Prime Minister, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Attorney General all involved in their conference. Later, they had the main people from their Food Safety and Foreign Affairs and Trade giving them advice about the changing scenery in the world relating to Tariffs and Barriers. This is a country that sees its seafood industry as being important and relevant to the country's future.
The world’s 4th largest Economic Fishing Zone which is managed by New Zealand, has been a healthy bounty for this country and the seafood industry. The industry through its own organization, the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council, is, in my opinion, a world leader in terms of how they have worked to ‘manage their own industry’.
Professor Ray Hilborn of Washington University was the highlight of the conference for me and he was not even there! Ray has spent regular time in New Zealand over many years, researching and advising on the management of their sustainable seafood resources. Ray could not attend but he had taken the time to create a video which clearly put a different perspective on the state of the world’s fisheries than newspapers and NGO’s would have us believe.
The doomsayers about the world’s fish stocks need to have a good look at this video and question themselves about their actions. The bottom line is that whilst harvesting seafood may have its imperfections it is still, by a very long way, the most sustainably environmental protein that we have. This, along with the understanding that people need to eat seafood because of the incredible health aspects (Nutritionist Amanda Johnson spoke about these), surely should start getting us on the front foot in any discussions.
Thanks New Zealand for a great couple of days!
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