FishChoice.com on Tuesday announced that it will add FishWatch and Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI) scores, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Service, to the information it provides on sustainable seafood.
NOAA’s FSSI scores track the sustainability of key fish stocks and complexes with respect to their current population size and harvest rates. The score takes into account if the overfishing and overfished statuses are known for a stock and if these statuses are above or below prescribed levels. The scores range from zero to a maximum of four, increasing as additional assessments are conducted, overfishing is ended and stocks rebuild to certifications from organizations like Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program and the Marine Stewardship Council.
“As our nation turns the corner on ending overfishing and rebuilding our domestic fisheries, it’s important for consumers to be aware of the investment and progress being made to sustain our domestic fisheries and ensure healthy, sustainable seafood is available for generations to come,” said Eric Schwaab, assistant administrator of NOAA Fisheries. “We are pleased FishChoice has included FishWatch as part of their informational resource base to enable their customers to track and support our sustainable seafood journey.”
“We know that seafood buyers want sustainability information from the government along with information from the NGO community. We think that integrating the FSSI scores with the other sustainability information on our product detail pages will further help eliminate confusion around responsible sourcing,” said Richard Boot, president of FishChoice.
FishChoice also recently announced that it added its first aquaculture program to its directory.
