London Food, a board formed in 2004 to guide the city on food-related matters, on Tuesday challenged citizens and businesses to make London the world’s first Sustainable Fish City.
The Sustainable Fish City campaign, organized by a team of food and conservation groups, is intended to help London’s local authorities, schools, universities, caterers, shops and tourist attractions to offer sustainable seafood and London’s citizens to buy fish responsibly. The aim is for London’s boroughs and large food businesses, including seafood suppliers, to serve sustainable fish by 2012.
London has already taken steps toward achieving the goal, including committing to using only sustainable seafood for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In addition, the Greater London-Authority (GLA) announced in December that it will adopt the London 2012 food standards, resulting in only sustainable seafood being served to police and fire staff, transportation workers and GLA staff.
On Tuesday, several other organizations — including the National Trust, five top London universities, Moshi Moshi and Sodexo — pledged to help London become a Sustainable Fish City by promising to source only sustainable seafood.
“Londoners spend over GBP 1 billion on fish every year, which is a vital opportunity to invest in sustainable fishing practices and support those fishermen who are doing their best to protect precious fish and ocean environments,” said Jon Walker, Sustainable Fish City campaign coordinator.
