To address the growing concern about the sustainability and quality of seafood, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Service has created a website called FishWatch that posts the latest information on these and other seafood issues of interest.
As global and U.S. demand rises--Americans ate a record 16.6 pounds of fish and shellfish per person in 2004, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)--and environmental, pollution and other factors stress the world’s stock, the number of fish have declined. The number of stocks subject to overfishing has increased from 45 in 2005 to 48 in 2006, and the number of overfished stocks has increased from 43 to 47 according to NMFS’s “Report on the Status of the U.S. Fisheries for 2006.” Almost 25% of the world’s stocks of fish are overfished or depleted, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The Marine Fish Conservation Network, a Washington-based environmental coalition, reported that the population of cod on Georges Bank has declined 25% since 2001.
The website provides information on more than 30 of the most popular seafood species, such as red snapper, with more species to be added in the near future.
FishWatch provides timely information, including details on population strength and status, as well as nutritional information, such as fat content and vitamins. It also provides economic information, such as where seafood comes from and how much money it brings to the economy.
The guide was unveiled at the fourth annual Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans on Aug. 4, 2007. The President’s Ocean Commission charged NOAA Fisheries Service with informing the public about the status of the living marine resources managed by the agency, and FishWatch is an outgrowth of that initiative. NOAA Fisheries Service asks the public to visit the site and comment on its content within the next 60 days.
