Keep seafood sustainable

If you’re big on eating seafood, you’re not alone. American supermarkets do an estimated $16 billion in sales annually. Unfortunately, most grocers make their purchases based on the habits of shoppers—not the sustainability of species.

Greenpeace has recently released its annual seafood sustainability scorecard. Not one grocer received a “good” rating and those located in our region with passing grades include Target, Safeway, Walmart and Trader Joe’s, while a failing grade went to Costco. The annual ranking puts pressure on retailers to implement practices, such as eliminating imperiled fish stocks from their inventories and providing their customers with the data that allows them to make educated choices about purchases.

But consumers should lend a helping hand to the effort, too. Here are some suggestions from Greenpeace:

• Tell your store manager you want sustainable seafood.

• Refuse to purchase “red list” species.

• Eat sustainable choices and give kudos to the store for providing them.

• Reduce the pressure on the oceans by eating less fish.