by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Sainsbury's has announced on January 7, 2011, more or less in response to the criticisms of retailers as to using unsustainable sources for fish, that all tuna used as an ingredient in its food will be caught using the pole and line method by the end of this month. This move ensures that 100% of Sainsbury's tuna across all products is responsibly sourced. Sainsbury's fresh, frozen and canned tuna is already line caught.
All of Sainsbury's ready meals, sandwiches, pate, dips, salads, sandwich and potato fillers and sushi containing tuna will now be sourced using the more selective fishing method which practically eliminates bycatch of other species.
Sainsbury's moved all its own label canned tuna to pole and line caught in 2009, and as a result, was rated No.1 by Greenpeace for responsible sourcing.
Tuna is the third biggest-selling fish in Sainsbury's and the move will now see 1,500 tonnes of fish move to the more sustainable catch method every year.
Ally Dingwall, Aquaculture & Fisheries Manager, Sainsbury's says: "We're proud to be able to offer our customers pole and line caught skipjack tuna across all products from tins to sandwiches to ready meals. As the UK's largest retailer of MSC and Freedom Food fish, we continue to source food as responsibly as possible. This means our 20 million customers have peace of mind that what they're buying is as sustainable as it can be."
Sainsbury's is the second largest fish retailer in the UK, selling over £400 million worth of fish every year.
If Sainsbury's can do this what is keeping back all the others? Greed and the fact that they say they care but in reality don't.
© 2011
