Globally a number of important wild fish populations are depleted, yet large-scale fishing continues unabated. This has also led to an increase in fish farming, though this has its own environmental impacts.

Fishing activity in general has a damaging effect on our marine environment due to the non-selectivity of fishing methods, i.e. where one species is the intended catch, other sea creatures are inadvertently caught and killed as bycatch.

At a business level, we need to recognise these natural constraints and shift from a focus on volume from diverse suppliers to one of responsible sourcing from sustainable suppliers. We need to ensure solutions are in place to help identified species recover back to healthy levels. 

WWF works to drive positive change across the full spectrum of the seafood supply chain from the fisheries and seafood suppliers to consumers. 

We work at multiple levels along the seafood supply chain. We reach the fishing sector by working with the retailers who buy their catch. Through a voluntary business scheme, we work with companies who are committed to responsibly sourcing and procuring seafood. 

This includes commercial and small-scale fisheries as well as the aquaculture companies and those who sell seafood: the supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, hotels and other suppliers.

In the SA seafood industry, WWF works with five major retailers, two major restaurant franchises, two major suppliers and one hotel chain. Plus we empower seafood-lovers to make responsible choices and to encourage their favourite retailer and restaurants to do the same.

From those who catch fish at sea to those of us who enjoy eating seafood in its many forms, we work with fishers and fishing crew, big corporate CEOs and sustainability managers, plus chefs, hotel school students, restaurant staff and ocean-loving citizens.

The beginnings of consumer awareness around sustainability of seafood started in 2004. Soon after in 2005, WWF’s Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) launched. This was South Africa’s first consumer guide, a list showing the science-based status of different species of seafood using an easy to understand traffic light system of red, orange or green.

By 2008, WWF realised there was an opportunity to work with the seafood retailers to shift the procuring of seafood. To turn the tide on irresponsible ocean harvesting, WWF started the voluntary Retailer/Supplier Participation Scheme to support seafood traders, as well as fisheries and fish farms.

1. Of South Africa’s six major retailer groups, five have come on board with self-set commitments to procure and sell sustainable seafood. 

2. The WWF-SASSI programme has trained more than 5000 chefs and restaurant staff.

3. The programme has recognised over 50 high-end chefs as trailblazers who are going over and above when it comes to serving sustainable seafood.

4. Since its launch, the WWF-SASSI app has had over 22000 downloads and counting, with a usage rate of two minutes per session.