International environmental watchdog group Greenpeace has released its fourth Canned Tuna Guide, and this time the guide is targeting a popular brand of Australian canned tuna.
Greenpeace is charging John West, despite claims of sustainability, “continues to destroy tuna stocks and marine life.”
In a statement which encourages readers to “Reject John West,” the organization claims John West is still using fish aggregating devices (FADs), and because of this and other practices, the company pulls in lots of non-tuna species, which damages the environment.
“When John West’s suppliers go fishing, 10 percent of the catch is made up of important marine life like sharks, rays, baby tuna and turtles, known as bycatch,” Greenpeace wrote in a statement. “These sea creatures are unnecessarily killed because the company refuses to stop using outdated and destructive fishing methods.”
If that bycatch were processed, Greenpeace alleges, it would fill 10 million cans a year, and Greenpeace has launched a campaign to boycott John West until the company changes its practices.
Greenpeace gave some of John West’s competitors higher praise. The organization noted two other major Australian brands, Greenseas and Sirena, have pledged to ban the use of FADs by 2015.
