HOW WE DEFINE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD
Sustainable seafood is a vague and slippery concept.
Whilst there is much common ground between different sustainability models,
there is ultimately no consensus about what the term sustainable means.
We want to dismantle the confusion to empower those of you wanting to source seafood responsibly.
By making Happy Fish’s sustainability criteria [hyperlink] publicly available, we aim to
generate greater understanding and promote discussion about what sustainability means.
Happy Fish’s sustainability goals pivot around the timeless principle of ensuring ecosystems remain resilient and
able to regenerate into perpetuity.The bottom line is the protection of the marine environment, but social, cultural and financial sustainability are also important with regards to fisheries and the communities that depend on them
Sustainability is forever!
SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA
- The Sustainable Australian Seafood Assessment Program (SASAP) is the the gold standard of fish assessments systems. Fish must meet this stringent criteria to be endorsed ‘Happy Fish’ and included in the Happy Fish List
- SASAP is suitable for Australian conditions being specifically designed for our unique and diverse marine ecosystems and smaller scale fisheries.
- SASAP was devised by Australia’s leading marine and fisheries scientists, who came together over long coffee-fuelled days and nights, for the love not money
- Happy Fish is partnering with them to bring that scientific rigour, love and care into our assessment process
- SASAP core criteria will be adopted for the project pilot, while some criteria will be adopted post pilot phase
- Fish are evaluated considering three main areas:
- species numbers and resilience;
- amounts of bycatch;
- ecosystem and habitat impacts
- An endorsed species caught in one location by John & Mary Fisher may not meet our criteria in another location caught by other fishers. So for the greatest accuracy, fish are assessed at the level of a specific location (fishery) and specific fishers.
- This sets a significantly higher benchmark than required by law
- Assessments are regularly reviewed due to the ever-shifting nature of biological systems
- Happy Fish is first and foremost a mission driven enterprise. Core to this mission is ensuring the best and most rigorous assessments remain affordable and in reach of small scale fishers
- SASAP assessments of each species coming soon!