Kiwis should send Sealord a strong message about its source of tuna..
Sealord needs to do more than change its logo. Sealord needs to change its tuna.
http://greenpeace.org/
Sealord wants to be the ‘most trusted seafood company’. But, how can we trust Sealord’s sustainability messages when your company uses one of the worst fishing methods around, killing endangered sharks, turtles, juvenile tuna and other ocean life in addition to the tuna for Sealord cans.
As New Zealand’s largest brand of canned tuna, Sealord, the self-proclaimed ‘seafood experts’ should be leading the way on sustainability. So it shocks me to learn that your company is sourcing tuna caught by a method which you know catches far more than just tuna – up to 10 times more bycatch than more sustainable practices. That’s exploitation, not expertise!
I see that your website states that Sealord will avoid sourcing tuna from “fisheries that use indiscriminate fishing practices that result in significant quantities of catch being discarded or landed as juveniles or unmarketable species”.
So, live up to this promise and stop using fish aggregation devices (FADs) with purse seine nets. This would dramatically reduce the amount of bycatch. http://adl.brs.gov.au/brsShop/data/PC12777.pdf
If you are serious about the sustainability of Pacific tuna you would take this simple step as has occurred in the UK where all but one of the major brands have committed to source only pole and line or FAD-free purse seined tuna.
I am encouraged that Sealord is supporting plans to create marine reserves in the high seas.
Please let me know when Sealord will end the use of FAD-caught purse seined tuna to help save Pacific tuna and other ocean life - and become a leader for sustainability amongst New Zealand canned tuna brands.
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Sealord is New Zealand’s largest supplier of canned tuna but it’s also one of the worst.
That's because Sealord gets its Pacific tuna from companies using one of the worst fishing methods killing endangered sharks, turtles, juvenile tuna and other ocean life as well. These creatures are known as bycatch and are often thrown back into the ocean dead or dying. That’s exploitation, not expertise.
Sealord needs to clean up its act if it wants to live up to the ‘seafood experts’ image it advertises, and achieve its goal of becoming the ‘most trusted seafood company’. Sealord must stop sourcing tuna caught using fish aggregation devices (FADs). FADs are used to lure tuna but, also attract other ocean life which is then scooped up in huge purse seine nets. FADs increase the bycatch of purse seine fisheries up to 10 times more than other more sustainable methods.
If Sealord is serious about sustainability it would stop sourcing tuna caught using this indiscriminate method.
All but one of the UK’s major canned tuna brands have announced they’re phasing out purse seine tuna caught with FADs.
Sealord and other brands of canned tuna sold in New Zealand can do it too.
Last week Sealord announced it was updating its branding. Sealord needs to change more than just its logo. Tell Sealord to change its tuna and move to more sustainable fishing methods.
A message to Sealord
http://ecospree.com/
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