Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the ethics of Monterey Bay Aquarium and our recommendations, as they appear on
the Seafood Watch pocket guides, may vary from that of other organisations with
different institutional values and communication goals. Therefore, full consensus
on the recommendations we make or on the sustainability of a specific seafood item
may not always be possible among the sustainable seafood movement, the marine
conservation community, and the seafood industry and resource managers.
17.7
Seafood Watch methodology for evaluating seafood
Seafood Watch uses a standardised process, or methodology, to evaluate seafood.
This process enlists Seafood Watch research staff, external reviewers and copy
editors to help ensure consistency.
Step I: Identify seafood to be evaluated
. Market information is collected to
identify the seafood products to be evaluated for regional versions of the
Seafood Watch pocket guide. These include the most popular seafood items
sold in the US and in each region, including both imported and domestic
products. Sources of the market information include industry reports, con-
tact with seafood development councils, informal restaurant and fish/super-
market surveys, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the United Na-
tions Food and Agriculture Organization. The regional working groups have
also identified local seafood favourites that may not be as common, but are
representative of an area's unique culinary tastes and help to personalise and
regionalise the pocket guide.
Step II: Assemble seafood information.
Once a seafood item has been se-
lected for evaluation, our research analysts gather the most current species,
ecological, fishery or aquaculture information relevant to the criteria (see
section 17.7.1). The primary sources of information include peer-reviewed,
published journal articles, state and federal agency reports, United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization reports and other relevant government
documents. Personal contact with a network of experts and regular atten-
dance at relevant conferences and meetings are also essential activities in
the information-gathering process. Such efforts sometimes help compen-
sate for the time lag in published information, allowing us to consider
the most up-to-date information or explore further if there are conflicting
data.
Step III: Create a seafood report.
The information is synthesised and analysed
in the format of a seafood report, and presents an evaluation of this in-
formation against the programme's criteria for sustainability (based on our
programme's conservation ethic). As a result, the research analyst arrives
at a strongly supported recommendation of 'best choice', 'good alternative'
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