Current Developments in the Sustainable Seafood Movement
The initiative known as Sustainable Seafood Movement was first introduced through the realization that the world’s marine ecosystems were on the verge of being destroyed from overexploitation. The Movement began in the 1990s and was marked by the system of social marketing via Ecolabel as well as awareness campaigns. Due to social marketing as well as the collaborative efforts between the industry and NGOs or non-governmental organizations, consumers were offered the freedom to make informed decisions which contributed significantly to the conservation of the marine biodiversity.
Programs and Campaigns
In order to boost the Sustainable Seafood Movement, the Ecolabeling programs were introduced with the intent to evaluate the production process with fixed environmental standards by an independent third party. If the process managed to fulfill certain requirements, the marketer or producer could opt to purchase a license to use an ecolabel for its promotions. This label provides you with the opportunity to understand if the product was produced in a sustainable manner. Labeling is not just a mere regulatory tool; it serves to effectively encourage you to make choices which are good for the environment. The producers also gain financial benefits. Increasing number of organizations and companies are participating in environmentally suitable productions like Ecolabeling in order to gain a larger share of the market and reap increasing amount of profits.
Awareness campaigns for the Sustainable Seafood Movement concentrate on educating as well as encouraging you to buy products that take into account the vitality of the marine species. They achieve their target through the boycott of specific species and products along with seafood guides. These guides highlight the species which are acceptable to consume and which do not have any impact on the environment. The guides are divided into three major categories of yellow, red and green. The rankings represent how the fish react to abundance, fishing pressure, Bycatch, gear impact and management. While red stands for items which should be avoided, yellow is a fine alternative and green happens to be the best choice.
Role of Sheraton Abuja
The owners of the Sheraton brand, the Starwood chain of resorts and hotels, are currently pioneering the Sustainable Seafood Movement. The main commitment of the Global Resort Group is towards becoming a leader of change and ensuring that customers like you make the right decision in order to safeguard the ability of the oceans to continue providing food to billions of people on a daily basis as well as generations to come.
The group maintains that several species have either become endangered and face the threat of extinction due to fishing or have already become virtually extinct. They add that based on the current pace, no viable commercial fisheries will remain by the year 2050 unless proper action is adopted right now.
Sheraton Abuja Increasing Awareness
From the 1st of January, 2013, the Middle East, Africa and Europe divisions of Starwood are going to be committed towards not serving the following the threatened seafood/ fish species like blue fin, whale, sea turtle and shark at any of the managed and owned Starwood Hotels in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Top ranking staff of the hotels claim that your awareness is necessary to prevent overfishing. By choosing to purchase only sustainable fish, all of you will be able to decrease the current demand for endangered species. The main points to remember are to select wisely, be well-informed and make those around you become aware about the reduction in the stock of fish.
There exists a fine balance between safeguarding the health of the ocean while respecting the various communities’ economic activities that depend on the harvesting of seafood. This sustainability happens to be a journey and communities will continue to work in a collaborative manner with the government, tourism industry and other organizations who are adopting better steps for sustainability.
