Atlantic halibut, redfish, plaice, dogfish and bluefin and bigeye tuna are among the species the Compass Group refuses to sell at its 6,500 sites in the United Kingdom and Ireland to due sustainability concerns, the foodservice operator announced on Wednesday.
The company made the determination after it, with the help of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), upped the number of species on its “fish to avoid” list from 13 to 69.
According to the MCS, these species are harvested or farmed in an environmentally irresponsible and unsustainable manner. Compass created the list in October 2008 as part of its sustainable seafood guidelines.
“As the world’s leading contract caterer providing meals to so many people each day, Compass’ decision to follow the MCS’ guidelines and de-list these species is significant,” said Neil Pitcairn, seafood buyer for Compass Group-UK & Ireland. “There are many wonderful and delicious fish that can be caught without risk of overfishing.”
“By removing stocks from MCS’ ‘fish to avoid’ list, Compass is helping to reduce demand for overexploited fish,” added Simon Brockington, MCS’ head of conservation. “This is a crucial step in ensuring the long term survival of vulnerable fisheries.”
Compass Group-UK & Ireland generates annual revenues of around GBP 11 billion (USD 18.2 billion, EUR 12.9 billion).
