Woolworths has achieved another significant milestone in our Good Business Journey with the launch of our new ranges of responsibly farmed fish. The fish are the ASC-certified tilapia products. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a global non-profit organisation managing robust global standards for responsible aquaculture. The initiative was co-founded in 2010 by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).
The launch coincides with the celebration of World Fisheries Day on the 21st of November which highlights the connection between the health of the world’s fisheries and human well-being.
Woolworths has a long-standing commitment to sourcing sustainable fish options in both the wild and farmed fishing environments. Through a variety of ongoing initiatives we raise consumer awareness of the dangers of overfishing and the importance of conserving collapsing fisheries by making responsible fish choices. In 2008, Woolworths became the first retailer to commit to the WWF-SASSI Retail Charter.
“This Summer we’ve taken another major step in our responsible fishing journey. We’re delighted that concerned consumers can enjoy delicious fish while helping to lift the pressure on wild caught fish stocks,” says Spencer Sonn, Managing Director of Woolworths Foods. “A critical part of our commitment to making sustainable fish available is that we empower consumers to choose wisely and buy responsibly sourced fish.”
Our new ASC certified fish lines are:
The products will be labelled with the ASC logo, which is your assurance that the product is from a sustainable, responsible farm
The launch of the new ASC-certified lines is another step towards meeting our 2020 commitments for aquaculture.
Chris Kastern, the Seafood Market Transformation Manager of the WWF South Africa commended Woolworths for taking the lead in launching South Africa’s first ASC-certified farmed fish products. “Over the years, Woolworths has shown true commitment in sourcing and making sustainable seafood options available. By purchasing fish sourced from responsible aquaculture operations, Woolies customers contributes towards the protection of the planet, while supporting an aquaculture industry that is providing sustainable livelihoods in local communities. Everyone wins throughout the supply chain, while, at the same time, they are ensuring that environmental impacts are minimized.
ENDS
Editor’s notes:
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) was founded in 2010 by WWF and IDH (Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative) the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an independent not for profit organisation with global influence. ASC aims to be the world's leading certification and labelling programme for responsibly farmed seafood. The ASC's primary role is to manage the global standards for responsible aquaculture, which were developed by the WWF Aquaculture Dialogues.
ASC works with aquaculture producers, seafood processors, retail and foodservice companies, scientists, conservation groups and consumers to:
http://www.asc-aqua.org/
The Woolworths Aquaculture Journey: By end 2020
1 Woolworths, with the assistance of WWF, will determine the credibility of these Improvement Projects on a case-by-case basis and will provide guidance to fisheries/aquaculture facilities as to what constitutes a credible, time-bound improvement project.
2These are source aquaculture operations for which there are a relevant ASC standard to be certified against
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF WOOLWORTHS
CONTACT: DIANE PETERSON
CELL: 083 395 3566
EMAIL: dianepeterson@woolworths.co.za
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