Loblaw is by closer to its goal of fully offering sustainable seafood by late 2013. (Photo: Loblaw)

Loblaw progresses toward 100 pct sustainable seafood

CANADA
Thursday, May 20, 2010, 17:00 (GMT + 9)

The Loblaw Companies Limited supermarket chain announced on Tuesday its ongoing progress toward sourcing all its seafood from sustainable sources by the end of 2013 -- a goal set by the company 12 months ago.

The commitment spans all canned, frozen, fresh, wild and farmed seafood products and products containing seafood as ingredients.

Loblaw reported it has achieved the goals set out in its year one action plan:

• Begin assessment of all sources of seafood in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada.
• Continue to work through its supply chain for Loblaw brand seafood products to prepare for additional audits to Marine Stewardship
  Council (MSC) standards. As of February 2010, Loblaw has 16 MSC-certified products – more than any other Canadian retailer.
• Develop and begin to execute a four-year implementation plan upon completing the seafood sourcing assessment.
• Begin identifying sources with no improvement potential to stop or phased them out as soon as possible. Species "at risk" include orange roughy, chilean sea bass, shark and skate.
• Identify and recruit fisheries and marine science experts for sound, independent advice as needed. The experts include WWF-Canada and Dr Jeffrey Hutchings, professor of biology and Canada research chair in marine conservation and biodiversity, Dalhousie University.
• Confirm its commitment decisions and communicate them with suppliers, distributors, colleagues, franchises, franchise employees, customers, the general public and other external stakeholders.

"Purchasing sustainably sourced seafood is one way we can all help and with Loblaw's leadership we are hopeful more Canadians will understand the importance of buying sustainable seafood and taking action in their daily lives to improve the health of our oceans," said Hadley Archer, vice president, strategic partnerships, WWF-Canada.

Leading up to Ocean's Day on 8 June, Loblaw is making the documentary The End of the Line -- which examines global overfishing and suggests ways to fight it -- available to more than 700 Canadian schools.

The school programme complements Loblaw’s public awareness campaign launched in select stores this year to educate customers about sustainable seafood.

Loblaw’s milestones for May 2011 are:

• To double the current number of MSC-certified wild seafood products available to consumers.
• Adopt a policy of selling 100 per cent International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) canned tuna. 
• Work with Canadian fresh salmon farmers to launch a more responsible aquacultural programme into the marketplace.
• Continue to work towards appropriate solutions in managing "species at risk" in partnership with the fishing industry, WWF-Canada and independent marine science advisors.
• Introduce appropriate tools to establish and assess the required information to manage the buying process effectively.
• Engage different levels of government, NGOs and other stakeholders to assist in the implementation of the firm’s commitment.
• Continue to educate colleagues and consumers with an ongoing public awareness campaign and the launch of a sustainable
  seafood website

Loblaw, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is the country’s largest food distributor and a foremost provider of drugstore, general merchandise and financial products and services.

Related articles:

- Loblaw embraces sustainable seafood scheme
- Loblaw going sustainable by 2013

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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