Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Programme - SEAFOOD Ecolabelling: Principles and Practice - page 356

or 'avoid' for the seafood and its sources in question. All seafood reports
can be found online at www.seafoodwatch.org by browsing or searching by
seafood item.
Step IV: Seafood report review. Each seafood report is internally and exter-
nally reviewed for scientific content and accuracy. External reviewers in-
clude academic scientists, resource managers and other experts associated
with the species, fishery or aquaculture operation in question. In addi-
tion, an independent copy editor ensures that the seafood report adheres
to our standard format is fully referenced and ready for publication online
at www.seafoodwatch.org.
Step V: Seafood Watch ranking session . Seafood Watch annually conducts a
lengthy session where each research analyst presents his or her recommen-
dations (including those for newly evaluated species or updated recommen-
dations). The Seafood Watch research staff and programme director must
reach internal consensus before finalising and publishing a seafood recom-
mendation either online or in the Seafood Watch pocket guide.
Step VI: Monitoring, updates and evaluation. Seafood Watch recognises that
fisheries and aquaculture information is constantly changing and new find-
ings emerge from ongoing research, management decisions and changes
in the marine environment. In addition, the Seafood Watch criteria and
methodology are continually refined to better reflect the nature of conser-
vation science and conservation decision making. Therefore, the seafood
reports and their subsequent recommendations remain dynamic and are up-
dated as new information becomes available - any changes are posted on
our website. The printed pocket guides are updated at least once a year
and include a disclaimer directing users to the website for the most recent
seafood recommendations.
17.7.1 Seafood Watch principles of sustainability and
evaluation criteria
Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether
fished or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long-term without
jeopardising the structure or function of affected ecosystems. The Seafood Watch
programme believes that species from sustainable capture fisheries:
have a low vulnerability to fishing pressure, and hence a low probability of being
overfished, because of their inherent life history characteristics;
have stock structure and abundance sufficient to maintain or enhance long-term
fishery productivity;
are captured using techniques that minimise the catch of unwanted and/or un-
marketable species;