{"id":22235,"date":"2016-06-06T09:35:29","date_gmt":"2016-06-06T09:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/natural-organic-blog\/?p=22235"},"modified":"2016-06-06T09:35:29","modified_gmt":"2016-06-06T09:35:29","slug":"help-save-oceans-sustainable-seafood-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/blog\/help-save-oceans-sustainable-seafood-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Help Save Our Oceans – The Sustainable Seafood Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

We have always had a relationship with the ocean that goes deep. It\u2019s more than just a resource for valuable food such as fish and seaweed and a vast watery highway we use to connect us across the continents. It\u2019s teeming with an amazing array of creatures and a deeper mystery that tugs at something deeper in us. From taking a tumble in the ocean, surfing, or walking on a beach, to those cultures who go to the ocean to celebrate important festivals such as new year\u2019s, there is something uplifting and sacred about it, something we don\u2019t really have words for.<\/p>\n

It can seem so vast that many of us humans seem to have forgotten that it\u2019s not an endless resource that we can keep draining without a thought. That its vibrant life requires us to participate in respecting and protecting it in order for us to have anything of its magic and bounty left to share with future generations.<\/p>\n

Seafood has become increasingly popular as we seek out those lean meats, healthy omegas and nourishing sea veggies in our quest to improve our health and lead a quality life, and the world populations keeps expanding. Ocean resources have become incredibly strained, with many resources already being overfished and practically depleted, as greedy, unsustainable and short sighted fishing practises are pursued across the globe. Fish stocks are not getting a chance to recover. Line fish that are caught closer to shore, or even marine species such as perlemoen which are poached, or turtles who need to come ashore to breed, have suffered badly. All these beautiful sea creatures need safe spaces to breed and Marine Protected Areas (MPA\u2019s) where there are \u2018no take\u2019 zones are few and far between.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just about what seafood we eat and how we fish. Unchecked pollution and plastic form in massive floating islands of rubbish \u2013 our modern gift to the sea. This toxic pollution gets into the seafood we eat, as well as disrupts natural eco-systems such as plankton and algae, which in fact play a major role in producing oxygen for us to breathe – it’s\u00a0estimated that marine plants produce between 70 to 80 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere<\/a>! As we disrupt the delicate balance in the oceans\u2019 ecosystem we cause a knock on effect that deprives all sea creatures of their ability to survive, or even dare we say, flourish as they should, including ourselves.<\/p>\n

This may sound overwhelming and a little depressing\u2026 but, you have more power than you realise.<\/p>\n

Take Action<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The SASSI Sustainable Seafood Guide<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You can make a difference with the choices that you make. The South African Sustainable Seafood\u00a0Initiative<\/a> (SASSI) has created a simple and effective way to help you start making more ocean-friendly choices when you buy seafood. They have published a little wallet-sized pamphlet you can refer to with fish species colour coded into red (don\u2019t buy), orange (think twice) and green categories (best choice).<\/p>\n

\"SASSI<\/a>

Click on this link to see the full SASSI Sustianable Fishing Guide. You can print it out to keep tabs on your choices when you go shopping or eat out.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

You can also text the name of the species to 079\u00a0499 8795 and receive an instant response as to the status of the fish you want to buy (standard sms rates apply), or download the SASSI app. Armed with this information, you\u2019ll also be in a position to speak to shops and restaurants, give them a rap on the knuckles if you find them selling endangered sealife!<\/p>\n

Labels to look out for:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"banner_asc_certified\"<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\"MSC<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council<\/a>)<\/td>\nMSC (Marine Stewardship Council<\/a>\u00a0)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

These are eco-labels that indicate sustainable and traceable seafood.<\/p>\n

\n

Share you stories and express yourself about this vital issue at Sassi\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And remember to always ask four simple questions about your seafood to find out its sustainability<\/em><\/strong> status:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n