New Web Site Offers Seafood Sustainability Info
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) here is voicing its support for a new Internet-based tool -- FishWatch - U.S. Seafood Facts --unveiled by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). The website, www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch, gives the latest facts about the sustainability and health benefits of fish.
"The bottom line is that if a kind of fish is in the store or on the menu, it is available to meet consumer demand," said NFI president John Connelly. "The FishWatch website helps the public understand that message. It is critical for NOAA to take the lead in showing how they successfully manage domestic fisheries. Members of the seafood community share the common goal to provide American families with healthy, delicious seafood now, while at the same time conserving plenty for future generations."
FishWatch provides profiles -- including sustainability status, nutrition facts, and role in the ecosystem -- of at least 30 domestic seafood species. The data provided in this consumer-friendly format is developed from NOAA Fisheries' own scientific stock assessments, fisheries surveys, management plans, environmental analyses, and cooperative research.
"This website helps explain that a fish stock categorized as 'overfished' doesn't mean it is on the verge of extinction," Connelly explained. "Just as there is a gauge in our cars to tell us how much gas remains in the tank, there are indicators to provide feedback for fish stocks."
NOAA Fisheries is the U.S. authority for marine fisheries science, conservation, and management.
"The bottom line is that if a kind of fish is in the store or on the menu, it is available to meet consumer demand," said NFI president John Connelly. "The FishWatch website helps the public understand that message. It is critical for NOAA to take the lead in showing how they successfully manage domestic fisheries. Members of the seafood community share the common goal to provide American families with healthy, delicious seafood now, while at the same time conserving plenty for future generations."
FishWatch provides profiles -- including sustainability status, nutrition facts, and role in the ecosystem -- of at least 30 domestic seafood species. The data provided in this consumer-friendly format is developed from NOAA Fisheries' own scientific stock assessments, fisheries surveys, management plans, environmental analyses, and cooperative research.
"This website helps explain that a fish stock categorized as 'overfished' doesn't mean it is on the verge of extinction," Connelly explained. "Just as there is a gauge in our cars to tell us how much gas remains in the tank, there are indicators to provide feedback for fish stocks."
NOAA Fisheries is the U.S. authority for marine fisheries science, conservation, and management.