AIPCE-CEP is turning its attention toward addressing consumers' misconceptions around seafood.
The representative body for E.U. fish processors and traders has outlined plans for a seafood sustainability manifesto identifying the association's goals for getting more information about seafood to European consumers.
“I have been [in the] sustainability [sector] for almost 16 years, and I strongly believe that sustainability is a big challenge for humanity and for business. Ahead of us, we have challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality,” AIPCE-CEP Sustainability Chair Luciano Pirovano said. “However, sustainability is not a threat. In my opinion, it’s a really big opportunity to give value to the European seafood industry and to give value to our supply chains. We have been shy in the past in showing how complex and interesting our supply chain is.”
The document, which will be published in the second half of 2024, will be a reference point that seafood companies can use when making buying decisions or that lawmakers can lean on to develop policies around sustainability.
Pirovano said the manifesto will help the seafood industry align with wider E.U. plans for sustainability through six focal points that the AIPCE-CEP has identified: responsible fishing and healthy oceans, responsible aquaculture, responsible production, human rights and community development, healthy and affordable food, and responsible communication. Each of these pillars will have its own dedicated taskforce, led by experts from the seafood industry, according to Pirovano.
“It is about what we stand for. It’s about our principles, what’s important for us, where we want to go, and our vision – not where we are today. It’s about leading the discussion and not following it,” he said.
Expanding on the need for the manifesto, AIPCE President Guus Pastoor said while Europe’s seafood industry has been growing in recent years, per capita seafood consumption growth has remained relatively stagnant in many European countries. This is due to a distinct lack of consumer confidence in preparing and cooking products at home, he said.
“More consumers are now not looking for whole fish to prepare. They’re looking for products that are convenient, nutritious, and affordable,” Pastoor said. “We’re confident we can provide these products, but there’s more to it; today’s consumers also want to know more about the products, how it was produced, and where it was produced.”
Unfortunately, he said, consumers are too often left in doubt, with issues like overfishing; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; and negative opinions on the environmental impacts of fish farming contributing to public misgivings, according to Pastoor.
“Some of these may be justified; others are clearly not. For example, the E.U. has quite a solid fisheries policy, with stocks managed to scientific advice,” Pastoor said. “Personally, I believe we’ve come a long way, but many consumers may not understand that if catch quotas go down, that doesn’t mean that fishers are overfishing; it means that we are doing what we’re meant to: adjusting the catches to natural circumstances in order to build for the future.”
Similarly, the aquaculture sector is facing criticism for its fishmeal use, Pastoor said, though he said the use of certified-sustainable fishmeal is growing.
“Fishmeal production is also part of waste prevention – by using unmarketable fish or processing leftovers,” Pastoor said.
The manifesto is needed at a time when the term sustainability continues to become more all-encompassing, Pastoor said.
“Sustainability started as responsible fishing and sourcing; it was about managing fish stocks. But now, the scope has broadened. Sustainability also includes things like responsible processing; the use of waste, energy, and water; human rights; labor conditions; community development, and additional values,” he said. “These elements are all relevant for the appreciation that consumers may or may not have for our products, so we need to show that we can live up to all these expectations.”
Furthermore, if the seafood industry wants to be the go-to product for consumers seeking healthier proteins, the industry needs to do more to ensure consumption patterns get back on the upswing, Pastoor said.
“Without doubt, seafood offers great potential for better diets and healthier people. Too often, though, seafood is left out of the discussion, and plant-based products are seen as the only solution for protein transition,” he said. “Plant-based products are a future and a solution, but so is seafood; we need to spread that news. We can do that by communicating our values, and responsible communication is built on facts and science-based claims. That’s why we started work on the sustainability manifesto. Our common goals should be to make sure that consumers and society can benefit from sustainable, nutritious, and affordable seafood.”
