Australia's seafood industry welcomes Sustainable Seafood Week

A prawn © Seafood Industry Australia

"Want sustainable seafood? Ask for Aussie seafood", these are the words of Seafood Industry Australia CEO Jane Lovell as she welcomes the Australian Sustainable Seafood week which runs from March 9-15.

"Australia's commercial fishing industry is one of the most sustainable in the world, and Sustainable Seafood Week is a celebration of our country's seafood industry and the well-managed, sustainable fisheries that supply all of our favourite seafoods," Ms Lovell said.

"It'll come as no surprise that our many in our industry have been doing it rough lately. From drought to catastrophic fires and flooding rain; coupled with export and now domestic market disruption due to the cancellation of sales into China, we need Aussies to support us and, ask for Aussie seafood.

"Australians can be confident that Australian seafood comes from well-managed, sustainable fisheries, which ensures that our fish stocks will be around for generations of seafood lovers. For the sixth consecutive year Australia's Commonwealth-managed fisheries have been given the tick of sustainability. This is something our commercial fishers are very proud of, and is unprecedented internationally. While the footprint of Australia's trawlers is one of the smallest in the world. Coupled with our aquaculture sector - who provide fresh, high-quality seafood, year-round - Australian seafood is one of the best managed and most sustainable protein sources in the world.

"We applaud the many Australian fisheries that have achieved certification to standards like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), however it is important to remember that the very fact it is Australian seafood means it has been sourced sustainably due to the high level of regulation, reporting and monitoring that underpins our industry.

"Independent information on the true sustainability of Australian seafood is now more accessible than ever thanks to the free, easy-to-use app of the Status of Australian Fish Stocks Reports called 'SAFS - Sustainable Fish Stocks'. This allows Aussies on-the-go access to true, correct and authoritative information on the sustainability of Australian fish stocks.

"We all know Aussies love to eat Aussie seafood and if you want to be certain you're eating sustainable, healthy, world-class seafood that's good for you and good for the planet, always ask for Aussie seafood. As an industry, we ask Australians to support their Aussies fishers and ask for Aussie seafood whether it's at their fishmonger, fish and chip shop, or the local Thai restaurant.

"As fishers, our priority is the ocean. We advocate the health, sustainability and future of our ocean. It's our livelihood and the future livelihood of generations to come."