AS AN INDUSTRY LEADER, SOUSA SEAFOOD holds itself to the highest standards of stewardship. It is good policy, and it is the right thing to do!
We buy all our seafood from
We operate a green, efficient plant, too, one that is compliant with industry rules and regulations. It makes business sense and models our commitment to preserving nature's resources.
In addition, we write and distribute a daily newsletter that updates intelligence about the fishing industry. Its proprietary content informs customers about matters such as type, quality, and price of fish; poundage sold at the Portland, Gloucester, Boston, and New Bedford
Our commitment to sustainability may be understood further by navigating through the following drop downs. The content, composed by Chuck Anderson, our director of retail and new business, is vital to us and the people who share our values. (See Seafood Business for Chuck's editorial on consumer confidence in seafood entitled "Building Credibility Before a Crisis Is Key."
To gain additional information, go to NOAA’s Central Library as well as the websites on our RELATED LINKS page.
Sustainability 101
History of Wild Seafood Sustainability
Wild Fish Sustainability Issues
Sourcing and Buying Choices
Success Stories
Select U.S. Fisheries
Like most things in seafood, sustainability is not simple. The issues behind what is sustainable, what is not sustainable, and why, can be very complicated. To boil sustainability down to a few bulleted points and a brief list of good and bad species on a wallet card is very difficult to do. It makes sense to try to simplify the issues, so customers can make informed choices. That is why simple communications such as wallet cards have been developed.
Seafood buyers need to understand sustainability, however, much more fully. Everyone wants to make sure we have healthy and productive fisheries that do not harm the environment for generations to come. The questions of which fish are sustainable and what methods of catch are sustainable are where opinions differ. Identifying and measuring sustainability are not attributes of an exact science; even the definition of what is sustainable gets much debate.
Seafood buyers need to understand sustainability, however, much more fully. Everyone wants to make sure we have healthy and productive fisheries that do not harm the environment for generations to come. The questions of which fish are sustainable and what methods of catch are sustainable are where opinions differ. Identifying and measuring sustainability are not attributes of an exact science; even the definition of what is sustainable gets much debate.
Wild fisheries before 1930 were pretty much unregulated. People could fish for fun or profit and catch as much fish as they wanted, wherever they wanted, and any way they wanted. Only modest fisheries management happened from the 1930’s through the 1960’s. Technology to find and see fish schools underwater improved significantly after WW II with the development of radar, sonar, and loran. Engine technology, boat technology, land-based freezing, on-board freezing, and fishing gear technology all advanced dramatically between 1945 and 1970. The fish became overmatched. If we did not do something, we could and likely would, wipe out many seafood species.
Modern fisheries management and sustainability got moving in 1976 with the passage of the Magnusun-Stevenson Act. The act is the law of the U.S. that governs fisheries management. In 1976, the act established an economic zone reaching 200 miles offshore. It prohibits foreign nations from fishing within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Before the act, foreign factory fishing vessels from Russia, Norway, Japan, and elsewhere set up just off our shores and caught millions of pounds of fish. These massive ships were often over 300-feet long and could catch and freeze up to half a million pounds of fish.
The Magnusun-Sevenson Act has been amended several times. The biggest changes happened in 1996 and 2006. But the gist of the act, and the amendments, ensure that U.S. fleets follow laws intended to keep fish populations healthy and available for future generations.
Modern fisheries management and sustainability got moving in 1976 with the passage of the Magnusun-Stevenson Act. The act is the law of the U.S. that governs fisheries management. In 1976, the act established an economic zone reaching 200 miles offshore. It prohibits foreign nations from fishing within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Before the act, foreign factory fishing vessels from Russia, Norway, Japan, and elsewhere set up just off our shores and caught millions of pounds of fish. These massive ships were often over 300-feet long and could catch and freeze up to half a million pounds of fish.
The Magnusun-Sevenson Act has been amended several times. The biggest changes happened in 1996 and 2006. But the gist of the act, and the amendments, ensure that U.S. fleets follow laws intended to keep fish populations healthy and available for future generations.
There are many issues involved in what makes a fishery sustainable. But by far the most important is stock status. Are there enough fish out there, and are we overfishing them?
So here are the major issues, other than stock status, involved with wild fisheries sustainability:
So here are the major issues, other than stock status, involved with wild fisheries sustainability:
- bycatch (catching non-targeted species)
- impact on the environment from fishing
- accuracy of available data/science on stock status
- presence of effective management and rules
- existence of illegal, unregulated, or unreported (IUU) fishing.
- energy used in fisheries
- greenhouse gas emissions
- child or forced labor
- foreign vs. local interests
Not everyone can afford to pay for a partnership with a sustainability-based group, or sell only MSC- or FOS-certified seafood. Most buyers do not have the time to research every species they buy. It is important to ask suppliers what their more sustainable choices are. And that is the right question! Is this product more or less sustainable than similar choices we can make?
Determining what fishery is 100% sustainable is a very tricky matter given such complex issues and where data is never 100% known. The better questions are, can I buy more sustainable fish, can I work with a more sustainable fishery, and can I push fish that may be more sustainable over fish that is more vulnerable? We may never be certain about whether we are sourcing 100% sustainable seafood, but it important to make the effort and continually become more sustainable over time. With that in mind, we at Sousa Seafood strive to improve all our operations as well as work to source more sustainable seafood every day. Sustainability is a journey, not a destination.
Fisheries data and management are very robust in the U.S. They are not perfect, but they are still far better than in most countries. Determining the stock status of U.S. fisheries is one way to determine which fisheries may be more sustainable than others. The fish listed as not overfished and where overfishing is not occurring may not be considered 100% sustainable by an individual non-governmental organization. However, the fish listed are probably better choices than those listed as overfished or where overfishing is occurring.
Determining what fishery is 100% sustainable is a very tricky matter given such complex issues and where data is never 100% known. The better questions are, can I buy more sustainable fish, can I work with a more sustainable fishery, and can I push fish that may be more sustainable over fish that is more vulnerable? We may never be certain about whether we are sourcing 100% sustainable seafood, but it important to make the effort and continually become more sustainable over time. With that in mind, we at Sousa Seafood strive to improve all our operations as well as work to source more sustainable seafood every day. Sustainability is a journey, not a destination.
Fisheries data and management are very robust in the U.S. They are not perfect, but they are still far better than in most countries. Determining the stock status of U.S. fisheries is one way to determine which fisheries may be more sustainable than others. The fish listed as not overfished and where overfishing is not occurring may not be considered 100% sustainable by an individual non-governmental organization. However, the fish listed are probably better choices than those listed as overfished or where overfishing is occurring.
The National Marine Fisheries Service and six Regional Fisheries Management Councils oversee our country’s wild commercial fisheries.
As of Quarter 1, 2010,
◆ 76% of U.S. fisheries were not overfished
◆ 79% of U.S. fisheries did not have overfishing.
The other U.S. fisheries that are still considered overfished and where overfishing is occurring are well managed, and most are reportedly headed in the right direction.
One way to measure the long-term sustainability of a fishery is to look at landings over an extended period of time. Consistent or building annual landings is usually one of the best indictors of a healthy sustainable fishery. To learn more, click on the NOAA/NMFS page and search Georges Bank Haddock landings, Gulf of Main lobster landings, Atlantic Striped Bass landings, and Atlantic Sea Scallop landings.
Source: NMFS FishWatch
As of Quarter 1, 2010,
◆ 76% of U.S. fisheries were not overfished
◆ 79% of U.S. fisheries did not have overfishing.
The other U.S. fisheries that are still considered overfished and where overfishing is occurring are well managed, and most are reportedly headed in the right direction.
One way to measure the long-term sustainability of a fishery is to look at landings over an extended period of time. Consistent or building annual landings is usually one of the best indictors of a healthy sustainable fishery. To learn more, click on the NOAA/NMFS page and search Georges Bank Haddock landings, Gulf of Main lobster landings, Atlantic Striped Bass landings, and Atlantic Sea Scallop landings.
Source: NMFS FishWatch
Below is a list of fisheries that have not been overfished and where overfishing is not occurring:
Alaskan Flathead Sole
Alaskan Pollock
American Lobsters—Georges Bank
American Lobsters—Gulf of Maine
Arrowtooth Flounder—Alaskan
Atlantic Herring
Atlantic Herring
Black Sea Bass—Mid Atlantic
Bluefish—Atlantic
Clams—Surf Clams
Clams—Ocean Quahog
Cobia
Dover Sole—Pacific
Greenland Turbot
Gulf Brown Shrimp
Gulf White Shrimp
Haddock
Halibut, Pacific Alaska
Mackerel—Atlantic
Mahi Mahi—Gulf of Mexico
Mahi Mahi—South Atlantic
Monkfish
North Atlantic and Pacific Swordfish
Pacific Cod
Pacific Lingcod
Pacific Ocean Perch
Pacific Sardines
Red King Crab
Sablefish
Salmon, Chum Alaska
Salmon, Pink Alaska
Salmon, Sockeye Alaska
Scup (Porgies)—Mid Atlantic
Sea Scallops
Snow Crab
Spiny Dogfish
Stone Crab (US only)
Striped Bass—Atlantic
Summer Flounder (Fluke)—Mid Atlantic
Swordfish—North Atlantic
Winter Flounder (Blackback)—Gulf of Maine
Other species such as Gulf of Maine Cod are on their way to sustainability. They are not considered overfished, but overfishing is occurring.
Georges Banks Yellowtail Flounder are still considered overfished, but overfishing is not occurring. Fishery stock looks to be moving in the right direction.
Consider supporting U.S. fisheries, which are well managed and are listed like this on Fishwatch.gov:
Overfished: NO
Overfishing is occurring: NO
Source: NOAA/NMFS as of Quarter 1, 2010
Alaskan Flathead Sole
Alaskan Pollock
American Lobsters—Georges Bank
American Lobsters—Gulf of Maine
Arrowtooth Flounder—Alaskan
Atlantic Herring
Atlantic Herring
Black Sea Bass—Mid Atlantic
Bluefish—Atlantic
Clams—Surf Clams
Clams—Ocean Quahog
Cobia
Dover Sole—Pacific
Greenland Turbot
Gulf Brown Shrimp
Gulf White Shrimp
Haddock
Halibut, Pacific Alaska
Mackerel—Atlantic
Mahi Mahi—Gulf of Mexico
Mahi Mahi—South Atlantic
Monkfish
North Atlantic and Pacific Swordfish
Pacific Cod
Pacific Lingcod
Pacific Ocean Perch
Pacific Sardines
Red King Crab
Sablefish
Salmon, Chum Alaska
Salmon, Pink Alaska
Salmon, Sockeye Alaska
Scup (Porgies)—Mid Atlantic
Sea Scallops
Snow Crab
Spiny Dogfish
Stone Crab (US only)
Striped Bass—Atlantic
Summer Flounder (Fluke)—Mid Atlantic
Swordfish—North Atlantic
Winter Flounder (Blackback)—Gulf of Maine
Other species such as Gulf of Maine Cod are on their way to sustainability. They are not considered overfished, but overfishing is occurring.
Georges Banks Yellowtail Flounder are still considered overfished, but overfishing is not occurring. Fishery stock looks to be moving in the right direction.
Consider supporting U.S. fisheries, which are well managed and are listed like this on Fishwatch.gov:
Overfished: NO
Overfishing is occurring: NO
Source: NOAA/NMFS as of Quarter 1, 2010
