Turning the Tide: The State of Seafood was released on October 20, 2009 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, on the 25th anniversary of the aquarium and the 10th anniversary of its Seafood Watch program. According to the report global prospects for securing a sustainable seafood supply and protecting ocean ecosystems are improving, thanks to a growing consensus on how best to manage fisheries and fish-farming operations, and new commitments by consumers, major buyers and the fishing community. The report states that "there are new signs of hope — we appear to have reached a turning point. On many fronts, new data point to a brighter future thanks to the actions of informed consumers, businesses, fishermen, fish farmers and governments."
The report also identifies a Super Green list of wild and farmed seafood items that are both good for human health and are produced in ways that protect ocean ecosystems. The list was developed in collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund and scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health.
The only species landed in the Northeastern United States on the Super Green list is Longfin Squid.
The following is taken from the Aquarium’s release on the report:
The Monterey Bay Aquarium and its Seafood Watch program released a new report, Turning the Tide: The State of Seafood, detailing why global prospects for securing a sustainable seafood supply are improving. The report includes a list of heart-healthy ‘super green’ seafood.
In conjunction with release of the report, the aquarium has launched a national campaign asking top chefs and culinary leaders to take a Save Our Seafood pledge not to serve items from the aquarium’s Seafood Watch Avoid (red) list as a way to restore ocean health.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium avoid list includes:
Cod: Atlantic and imported Pacific
Dogfish (U.S.)*
Flounders, Soles (Atlantic)
Haddock (trawl)*
Hake: White
Halibut: Atlantic*
Monkfish*
*indicates species on the Monterey Bay Aquarium avoid list that are listed as "not overfished" on the NOAA Fish Watch site
More than two dozen prominent figures have signed on already, including Alton Brown (Be Square Productions, Atlanta), Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, Chicago), Susan Spicer (Bayona, New Orleans), Rick Moonen (rm seafood, Las Vegas), Fedele Bauccio (Bon Appétit Management Co., Palo Alto), Michelle Bernstein (Michy’s, Miami), Suzanne Goin (Lucques, Los Angeles), Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Border Grill/Ciudad, Los Angeles), and Michel Nischan (The Dressing Room, Westport, Conn.).
The State of Seafood details significant and continuing threats to healthy oceans from mismanagement of wild-caught fisheries and a booming fish-farming sector, and highlights trends that offer hope for the future.
“Ocean life is still in decline and we clearly need to take urgent action to turn things around,” said aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard. “The good news is that we know what it will take, and that key players are working more closely than ever to solve the problems. I’m confident that we can and will create a future with healthy oceans.”