Quality supermarket Waitrose today announces a series of exciting new initiatives aiming to educate consumers on the importance of sustainable fishing. According to a recent YouGov survey, 75% of people felt retailers should stop selling fish from endangered species, and 72% of consumers said they were concerned about fish stocks. Waitrose believes confusion around the subject of sustainable fish sources means consumers don’t always have the confidence to make the correct, ethical decisions.

With the government calling on people to eat more fish, and £ 1.8 billion worth of fish being sold per year in the UK, demands on the fishing industry are set to increase. As a direct response to pressure on fish stocks, Waitrose will be launching the following four new initiatives relating to sustainable fishing, all of which are currently unavailable at any other supermarket:

Waitrose aims to inform consumers about the importance of sustainable fishing and offer guidance on key decisions. The new initiatives from Waitrose highlight it’s place at the forefront of sustainable fishing and attempts to educate consumers on key facts, allowing them to make informed decisions in relation to ethical shopping.

Waitrose aims to introduce shoppers to alternative fish option and encourage them to try fish they haven’t sampled before. For example, Waitrose was the first retailer to sell species such as New Forest Barramundi, to act as an alternative to over fished species.

1. Phasing out fish caught by Beam Trawling

Waitrose is phasing out fish caught by ‘Beam trawling’ – another unique move in retailing. Beam trawling involves chains being dragged across the ocean bed. This causes a lot of disturbance by using heavy chains to stir up the seabed, and the fish, to make them easier to catch.

Waitrose will now be using fish caught using Danish seine fishing methods. This method of fishing is less fuel-intensive and less disturbing than beam trawling. It also produces a high quality catch.

2. Correctly renaming of Skate to Ray for consumer clarity

Waitrose will become the first supermarket to rename Skate as Ray. There is much confusion around the differences between skate and ray. Skates and rays are often classified under one group, but it in fact covers some 20 separate species, quite often with very different conservation status.

For example the common skate is considered under threat, whilst stocks of cuckoo ray and the starry ray are relatively healthy. The visible difference between skate and ray is very subtle, and current labeling systems in supermarkets only adds to the confusion, as the majority of Skate sold in the UK is actually from varieties of Ray.

To help clear confusion, Waitrose is going to be re-labeling all Skate as Ray throughout all stores, to make it clearer for consumers looking to make the correct ethical decisions.

3. Using sustainable sources of feed for all farmed salmon by 2010 and working with the Marine Stewardship Council to establish the world’s first MSC accredited feed fishery

Waitrose has committed to develop sustainable sources of fishmeal and oil for all Waitrose, Organic and Select farm Salmon by 2010. This will extend to all fresh, smoked and poached salmon sold under the Waitrose brand. Waitrose supports the Marine Stewardship Council and are in the process of encouraging the World first feed fishery to be certified by the MSC standard.

Long term supply partnerships allow partner farmers to follow the Waitrose Select Farm Protocol, which requires the highest levels of environmental monitoring, on a regular basis, to be found anywhere in the salmon farming world.

4. Switching over to mature flat fish across its fresh and breaded range of plaice and lemon sole

A key area that distinguishes Waitrose in the market place is it’s work on Flatfish. No other major multiple has made the same kind of progress in this area. Waitrose has switched over entirely to mature flat fish across its fresh and chilled breaded range of plaice and lemon sole, working to do the same with frozen products. This is because mature fish have the chance to breed, helping to ensure fish stocks are sustainable. As well as benefiting the fish population it also gives consumers high-quality prime fillets.

Jeremy Ryland Langley, fish buyer for Waitrose comments:

“We really want to help our customers make informed decisions. Sustainable fishing should be high on customer’s ethical shopping list, in order to protect the fishing industry, and ensure diversity of species for future generations. Retailers still have some way to go but we feel this is exciting, positive progress.”

Waitrose has always been a market leader in the area of sustained fishing, leading the way in ethical sourcing and integrity. These new initiatives come on top of broader work Waitrose has done on the issue of sustainability, including switching all cod and haddock to line caught earlier this year.

In addition, Waitrose was the first retailer to introduce species such as New Forest Barramundi, to act as an alternative to over fished species. It is Waitrose’s policy to source all fish from well-managed fisheries using responsible fishing methods.

Consumers can be sure that the fresh fish bought at Waitrose will be of the highest quality, be fully traceable and will have been sourced in the most responsible way possible at the time.

Waitrose works in conjunction with The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which is an independent non-profit making organisation that promotes responsible fishing practices. Waitrose uses the MSC logo on fish that have been certified by them. Waitrose will de-list species that they believe are threatened, based on the best and most objective advice available.

For more information please contact Claire Doherty on:

07932 651 837 or claire@thisisgrapevine.com

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