Tuesday, July 21, 2009



The cost of unsustainability

Bottom trawling is a hugely destructive form of fishing which bulldozes whole swathes of the seafloor in an effort to get a few more fish. It is, by definition, unsustainable. So naturally, our dirty fishing industry uses it.

Now they are beginning to pay the price, with a UK supermarket chain refusing to stock New Zealand Hoki because it was bottom trawled. This despite it being certified as "sustainable" by the greenwash Marine Stewardship Council.

Hopefully this will provide an incentive for New Zealand's fishing industry to clean up its act. And if not, then as more markets refuse to stock unsustainable fish, hopefully it will drive them out of business.

(There is more information on the unsustainability of New Zealand's Hoki fishery here)