Sustainable Victorian seafood in time for Good Friday

As many Victorians start to think about sustainable seafood choices for Good Friday, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the University of Technology, Sydney, have announced the results of an independent sustainability assessment of six Victorian seafood products - a first for the State, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Australian Conservation Foundation.

"There is a great deal of confusion about what seafood is sustainable and what is not," said ACF Healthy Oceans Campaigner Chris Smyth.

"Overfishing, bycatch and habitat damage mean commercial fishing can be bad news for oceans, but there is also good news about efforts the seafood industry is making to become sustainable.

"The six seafood products we are announcing today are some of those good news stories," said Mr Smyth.

"Our independent and scientifically rigorous assessments take out the guesswork for consumers who want to make sustainable seafood choices," said Professor David Booth from the University of Technology, Sydney.

"By choosing local and sustainable seafood products, consumers will encourage seafood producers to move towards sustainability. That will improve the health of our oceans while also supporting our coastal lifestyle and the economies of regional communities," said Professor Booth.

ACF and UTS congratulates the producers of the following six Victorian regional seafood products:
Southern calamari from Corner Inlet
Southern calamari from Port Phillip Bay
King george whiting from Port Phillip Bay
King george whiting from Corner Inlet
Blue mussel from Sea Bounty Pty Ltd, Corio Bay
Rainbow trout from Goulburn River Trout Pty Ltd, Alexandra
These complement the five previously assessed and recommended products:
Red emperor from the Pilbara, Western Australia
Farmed barramundi from Marine Produce Australia, Cone Bay, Western Australia
Yelloweye mullet from the Coorong, South Australia
Western king prawn from the Spencer Gulf, South Australia
Squid from the Hawkesbury River, New South Wales

The Sustainable Australian Seafood Assessment Program will continue to assess regional seafood products in Australia's oceans. Funding for the Victorian project has been provided by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation and the Ruffin-Falkiner Foundation. Learn more about the assessment process at www.acfonline.org.au/seafood