Sustainable Seafood

Sustainable seafood refers to seafood that protects the environment necessary for the development of marine life, conducts fishing and aquaculture while maintaining the pace of natural resource reproduction, and takes into consideration social aspects such as ensuring the human rights and safety of workers, so that the ocean can continue to nurture a rich ecosystem and future generations can continue to benefit from it. In addition, being able to continue the business economically is also an important factor. Although there is no legal definition, it specifically refers to seafood that meets the following requirements:Seafood LegacyI think so.

What is sustainable seafood?

Sustainable seafood refers to seafood that protects the environment necessary for the development of marine life, conducts fishing and aquaculture while maintaining the pace of natural resource reproduction, and takes social aspects such as ensuring worker human rights and occupational safety into consideration, so that the ocean can continue to nurture a rich ecosystem and future generations can continue to benefit from it. In addition, economic viability is also an important factor. Although there is no legal definition, it specifically refers to the following conditions.

 Environmental aspects: Sustainability of fisheries resources and ecosystems

When considering sustainable seafood, the first important thing is whether fishery resources are being managed sustainably. Fisheries resources targeted by fishing must be determined to be at a level that satisfies maximum sustainable yield through scientific resource assessment, and management must be based on appropriate harvesting strategies based on science and the precautionary principle. It is also essential that compliance with management rules can be guaranteed.

Another requirement for sustainability is that ecosystems are kept healthy. This means minimizing the negative impact on not only the target species but also the surrounding organisms, and maintaining a diverse ecosystem. In particular, care must be taken to prevent endangered species from being caught as bycatch, and if bycatch does occur, measures such as releasing them alive in accordance with methods recommended by international treaties and maintaining detailed records of contact with bycatch organisms are required. At the same time, ensuring that fishing activities do not have a negative impact on fragile habitats and growing environments is also an important factor in supporting ecosystem health.

In the case of aquaculture, in addition to the above, other considerations include minimizing the impact on the ecosystem around the farm, minimizing water pollution caused by feed, ensuring the sustainability of raw materials for seeds and feed, and managing fish diseases.

 Social: Consideration for workers and the local community

Respecting the human rights of workers and ensuring a safe and hygienic working environment are fundamental principles in all industries. In the fishing industry, the number of modern slaves is estimated to be 128,000, and it has been pointed out that the actual number may be even higher*2. This is particularly important in the case of fishing vessels, which involve long voyages, as it is difficult to monitor the working environment on board. In fact, there have been reported cases of forced labor related to the fishing industry around the world.*1Respect for human rights and the development of a healthy working environment are essential when discussing sustainable seafood, both from a humanitarian perspective and in terms of securing international trust. Furthermore, companies must respond sincerely and appropriately to complaints and requests from local residents and stakeholders in the areas where they operate. In response to these realities, legislation requiring companies to disclose information about forced labor is rapidly being established, particularly in Europe. In Japan, the "Guidelines for Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains, etc." were formulated in 2022, and companies are also working to develop their own human rights policies. Such efforts are expected to continue expanding globally, contributing to the sustainable maintenance and development of regions and communities connected to the seafood industry, further strengthening its reputation as a socially responsible industry.

*1 Indonesian fishermen's historic lawsuit highlights sourcing risks

*2 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labor and Forced Marriage(2022),p33

 Economics: To continue sustainable business operations

Fishermen and companies that are environmentally and socially conscious need to make a profit in order to continue their business. They need to create a system that allows them to earn a profit and remain economically sustainable.

For the fishing and marine products industries to be economically sustainable, it is necessary for society to properly recognize the establishment of sustainable business models and the costs involved. The essence of sustainable seafood is for society as a whole to bear the costs of sustainable business models, rather than placing the costs solely on production sites.
The above three factors cannot be solved individually, but are closely related to each other.
Sustainable seafood is what is available to consumers after taking these factors into consideration.

Why sustainable seafood matters

Consumption of seafood continues to increase along with the global population growth. Although consumption in Japan has halved over the past 20 years, global per capita seafood consumption has doubled from approximately 9.1 kg in 1961 to approximately 20.7 kg in 2022*3. However, due to overfishing, resource depletion, and even IUU (illegal, unreported, and unregulated) fishing, resource abundance is declining.Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)is less thanThere are resources close by that are overfished and overfished.

* 3:Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2024 ReportSustainable use of fisheries resources and scientific resource managementThan

*4:column"Sustainable use of fisheries resources and scientific resource management"Than,(1) Fisheries resources around Japan: Fisheries AgencySee the Kobe Chart for a closer look at the resource status

The spread of sustainable seafood will encourage sustainable management of marine resources, supported by consumer demand, and is expected to enable a stable supply of marine products into the future. This will in turn contribute to future food security. Appropriate resource management also helps maintain the health of marine ecosystems and prevent environmental destruction. Furthermore, realizing sustainable fisheries will protect the livelihoods of those engaged in the fishing industry and contribute to revitalizing local economies.

Relationship with SDGs Goal 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans and seas"

Sustainable seafood is closely related to SDG 14, "Life below water." This goal includes:There are 10 targets, highlighting the importance of protecting marine resources and promoting their sustainable use, as well as proper fisheries management and environmental conservation.

In particular, Target 14.2 states, "By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take steps to restore them in order to ensure healthy and productive oceans." Furthermore, Target 14.4 states, "By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting, end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics."

In other words, promoting sustainable seafood will also contribute to achieving these common international goals.

Making sustainable seafood mainstream

As demand for sustainable seafood grows worldwide, increasing seafood production through sustainable fishing and aquaculture methods will give Japan a major advantage in future exports. In particular, in European and North American markets, products that take environmental and social responsibility into consideration are increasingly valued, and this attitude is being questioned when it comes to seafood exports from Japan.

In response to this situation, the Japanese government enacted the Fisheries Distribution Rationalization Act in 2022, identifying species such as abalone and sea cucumber, for which reports of illegal fishing are frequent, and strengthening domestic distribution management. Furthermore, to prevent the inflow of seafood resulting from IUU fishing from overseas, the government has introduced a catch certification system, modeled after the EU's catch certification system, requiring submission of certification from exporting governments for fish such as mackerel and saury, which are at high risk of IUU fishing. Including tuna and other fishery products subject to import controls under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, approximately 3% of Japan's imported seafood products are subject to import controls*3. The development of this legal system has made progress in addressing illegal fishing and has had a certain effect on the health of the market. However, the current target fish species are limited, and many seafood products remain outside the scope of the system. Going forward, a system that covers a wider range of fish species and distribution channels will be required.

*3 Aiming to eradicate IUU fishing – Utilizing technology and international cooperation

Furthermore, financial support is essential to realizing a sustainable fishing industry. By supporting the growth of companies working on sustainable fishing and marine products businesses through ESG investment and financing, it is expected that business expansion and the creation of a sustainable industrial structure will be achieved at the same time.

In this way, as the efforts of companies to practice sustainable fishing spread throughout the market and are supported by policy and financial support, consumer behavior throughout society will change.

As companies change, consumer choices naturally change too.

If companies actively handle sustainable seafood, consumers will naturally have more opportunities to choose sustainable seafood. For example, if seafood eco-labeled products such as MSC, ASC, BAP, and MEL certified products are lined up on the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores, consumers can easily identify them and purchase sustainable seafood.

In addition to eco-labels, other ways that consumers can identify sustainable seafood include rating schemes that evaluate and rate the status of resources, the impact on the marine environment, and management systems. For example, there is the "Seafood Watch" is also used by North American retail companies when procuring seafood. If you want to use it as a clue when selecting seafood in Japan, we recommend "Blue Seafood Guide", produced by WWF Japan, "Fish Handbook"there is.

The "Blue Seafood Guide" lists all seafood available in Japan that has been selected as Best Choice by Seafood Watch and that is MSC and ASC certified, in addition to the Blue Seafood Choices that the Blue Seafood Guide has selected from seafood distributed in Japan using scientific evaluation criteria. The "Fish Handbook" also lists 32 seafood commonly eaten by Japanese people, and gives them a five-level rating from green to red after comprehensively evaluating their sustainability, including resource status and whether fishing and farming methods are having a negative impact on the environment.

As more companies start to offer sustainable seafood and consumers change their choices, sustainable seafood will become more mainstream.

Summary: Protect the future of seafood by choosing sustainable seafood

Choosing sustainable seafood is voting for the future of our oceans.
If companies, governments, and financial institutions work together and each individual changes their consumption behavior, we can create a society where sustainable fishing is the norm.
Let's start by choosing our future with today's dish.