Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the striped bass she'd ordered . . . she was not pleased. We've stopped using Chilean
sea bass because increased demand in recent years has led to its being overfished ...'
The magazine, which is published by Conde Nast Publications, was not obliged to
inform its readers of this; indeed, had it occurred just a few short years before, it
may not have been as comfortable making such a public statement on the subject.
The burgeoning movement towards environmentally responsible seafood made the
mix-up newsworthy.
On the heels of this newfound attention to the suite of available seafood choices
and a newly galvanised food sector, the Seafood Choices Alliance opened its doors
to leverage that new momentum. Capitalising on the success of organising chefs and
restaurants for the swordfish campaign, the next logical step was to maintain and
expand that network to include seafood suppliers, distributors, retailers, fishermen
and fish farmers. In addition, other conservation groups, many of them inspired
by the success of GSAB, launched their own consumer campaigns utilising or
showcasing restaurants and chefs. As a result, a critical mass began to form, and a
genuine movement was underway.
Today, a growing number of organisations and businesses are implementing tar-
geted programmes to influence the seafood consumer and marketplace. Fisheries
certification and ecolabelling schemes such as the Marine Stewardship Council
(MSC), educational campaigns bringing attention to species of concern (such as
Chilean sea bass, beluga sturgeon/caviar and farmed salmon), and the seafood wallet
lists of 'green' and 'red' choices have all benefited from the heightened awareness
about sustainable seafood among consumers and the industry. Collectively, these
efforts are evidence of the growing momentum behind communication-based social
marketing strategies that seek to build an ocean conservation ethic through con-
sumer purchasing and corporate procurement. The underpinning philosophy is that,
over time, choices made in the open marketplace will influence the seafood indus-
try and government regulators in favour of better conservation of ocean resources.
By conducting research, identifying influential spokespeople, crafting appropriate
messages that resonate with consumers, applying targeted pressure and offering
strategic guidance to those with the greatest ability to influence seafood purchas-
ing, the Seafood Choices Movement is working to ensure a lasting, diverse supply
of seafood and healthy oceans.
7.2.2 Structure of the movement: Five pillars of
seafood choices
As the Seafood Choices Movement began to build a head of steam, not everyone
set off down exactly the same track. It quickly became clear that success in shifting
behaviour and influencing the marketplace requires a suite of diverse - but com-
plementary - tactics and strategies. As a result, one can view the movement as
resting on five distinct but related 'pillars', each representing a particular approach
to bringing sustainable seafood to the table. The Alliance itself works to leverage
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