Alliance calls for improvements to Australia’s seafood import standards
Strengthening Australia’s seafood import controls will improve sustainability, transparency and help reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the countries we import from.
A new alliance calling on Australian-based industry and conservation agencies to get behind the strengthening of seafood import controls has been launched today (Thursday, 15 September) at the Seafood Directions Conference in Brisbane.
The Fair Catch Alliance, convened by Minderoo Foundation, has been established as a result of the findings from its Mending the Net report. The report revealed that 65 per cent of the seafood Australians consume is imported but it’s not required to meet the same traceability standards as locally caught seafood.
The Fair Catch Alliance aims to build support to influence import policies that will help to improve sustainability and transparency of supply chains, and reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the countries Australia imports from.
The Fair Catch Alliance convener and Director of Minderoo Foundation’s Flourishing Oceans initiative, Dr Tony Worby, highlighted there are problems with some imported seafood linked to poor fishing practices.
“There is currently no policy framework that ensures the seafood entering our local market is a product of good fishing practices,” Dr Worby said. “There’s no way of knowing it’s fair catch.”
“We know that some of the seafood we import is contributing to the global decline of fish stocks, undercutting local jobs and industry, and even putting threatened species at risk.”
The national campaign for change aims to align Australia with other major seafood importers, including the US, the European Union and Japan, which have strengthened their import controls.
“Australians shouldn’t have to question whether the seafood on their plate is sustainably and ethically produced, including if it’s imported,” Dr Worby said. “We should have the confidence to know that if seafood doesn’t meet basic minimum harvesting, production, and traceability standards, it’s not going to be allowed into the country. Everyone deserves to know exactly what they are buying.”
Fair Catch Alliance
The Fair Catch Alliance is building a diverse alliance of interests across industry and conservation to strengthen Australia’s seafood import controls to improve sustainability, transparency and help reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the countries we import from.
Web: faircatchalliance.org.au
Media contact:
Aleta Johnston +61 477 739 797 | Email: ajohnston@minderoo.org