A new report released by the environmentalist organisation Greenpeace on the sustainability fish policies applied by the supermarkets of Spain reveals some advances amongst the main distributors of fish.

The report, titled A recipe for biodiversity. Supermarkets: ingredients to preserve the life of the oceans,includes the Third Supermarkets Ranking elaborated by Greenpeace. In this ranking, the NGO emphasises that, for the first time, it has observed that some of the most important retailers "are already acting to protect the oceans, as all the supermarkets were in red. "

Greenpeace uses the colours red, orange and green to evaluate the criteria of sustainability in the sale of fish.

The distributors Lidl and Carrefour secured good scores, 45.2 per cent and 40.02 per cent, respectively, scores that rank them in the orange range. That ranking demonstrates that they are concerned over the state in which the oceans are found, Greenpeace contends.

Both chains uphold a policy of sustainable fish purchases and are progressively eliminating the most vulnerable species that are caught using destructive fishing methods, Greenpeace explains.

Meanwhile, the worst place of the ranking is for El Corte Ingles (15.72 per cent), which was also surpassed by Alcampo (24.34 per cent), Eroski (21.78 per cent) and Mercadona (19,18 per cent).

Although Alcampo announced the withdrawal from its counters of endangered species like sharks, redfish and European flounder in 2009, it is found in the red range of the listing.

El Corte Ingles now occupies last place in the Greenpeace ranking as "it has not shown any progress with respect to two previous editions; there is no commitment to withdraw endangered species that form part of their supply and it does not show responsibility in guaranteeing the total traceability of the seafood products it offers. "

According to Paloma Colmenarejo, head of the Oceans campaign of Greenpeace, “the major superstores commercialise almost 70 per cent of the seafood products that are consumed in Spain, which is why they have the responsibility to stop being accomplices to the destruction of the oceans, to develop policies of sustainable purchases and to cause therefore a ‘domino effect ’ in the rest of the supermarkets and fish sale centres. ”

In order to assure the long-term sustainability of the fisheries and marine ecosystems, Greenpeace insists on the fact that supermarkets can help by withdrawing from sale those seafood resources that are caught from fisheries that:

• capture species that are threatened, endangered, vulnerable or have a shortage of information on their management;
• cause destruction of their habitat or that suppose alterations of the ecosystem;
• cause negative impacts in other non-targeted species;
• are unregulated, where the management is poor, or that are related to illegal fishing;
• cause negative impacts in the local communities that depend on fishing activities.

According to statements issued by Lidl, its policy consists of “avoiding” the commercialisation of fish species in danger of extinction or the level of reserves of which are “critical.” This strategy led the company to stop selling sharks in 2005 and Nordic redfish and swordfish in 2007.

Meanwhile, the Sustainable Fishing Policy launched by Carrefour promotes the traceability of seafood products and their labelling, and a respect for minimum legal sizes.

In addition, it verifies “that the conditions of work of fishermen and processing centres are adequate ” and sponsors “studies of threatened species.”

Meanwhile, sources for Alcampo note that they sell in their establishments “neither bluefin tuna, nor sharks in danger of extinction, nor redfish or European flounder either,” EFE reports.

In addition, they pointed out that the company sells canned tuna that carries the seal Dolphin Safe, which guaranties that the fishing of this species did not bring about the death of dolphins.

"Things like stopping from selling dogfish - pertaining to the family of sharks – are a dangerous bet, but we believe in it,” stressed Alcampo management.

Eroski, in turn, assures that it is working on a project on fishing sustainability, which is why they expect "to have a comprehensive plan on this issue " shortly.

Further, Mercadona insisted that all its suppliers “comply with the legislation and the national and international agreements in force on this matter, which is therefore reflected in the labelling and traceability of the products” they sell.

Although El Corte Ingles occupies last place in the Greenpeace ranking, a spokesmen for the company affirmed that they only buy fish products “in the points [of sale] set for its wholesale sale that possess permits granted by the competent public, national and Community administrations.”

They also added that they do not sell in their establishments “unauthorised species; fish from ports, wholesale markets or legally unauthorised points [of sale]; nor specimens of unauthorised size.”

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media