Seafood marketplaces are becoming more and more sophisticated. Consumers make informed choices about what they buy and demonstrate a willingness to pay premium prices for sustainably harvested seafood. The fate of ‘charismatic’ species that are the focus of the BMIS - seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles and sharks and rays – as bycatch in tuna fisheries draws attention internationally. For example, in recent years, campaigns by organisations such as Greenpeace strongly influenced supermarket purchasing policy on tinned tuna. While there are many reasons fishers wish to avoid bycatch, the economic incentive of market share is important in the drive to implement ecologically sustainable fisheries management. Some insight into changes in consumer sentiment can be gleaned from recent apps and websites informing consumers about sustainable seafood choice:
Best Fish Guide – Forest & Bird New Zealand App
FishChoice.com - connects retail, restaurant, and institutional seafood buyers to suppliers of sustainable seafood products
SmartCatch - provides training and support to chefs so they can serve seafood fished or farmed in environmentally responsible ways
The Seafood Watch App - Monterey Aquarium
