It was a pretty cold and windy day yesterday in Toronto, when Greenpeace volunteers bravely ventured out to Queen St. West to talk to supermarket customers about our new 2012 tuna ranking report.
As part of our ongoing street campaigning work, volunteer defenders are fueled by their creativity, passion and dedication to defending the earth, as they take to the streets to talk to everyday people about the issues that matter to them. Like most activists, volunteers do this work because they genuinely care about the planet and feel a responsibility to protect the earth and all its diversity. For this activity we hoped to speak up for the world's oceans, spreading the truth about Clover Leaf canned tuna.
Tuna is one of the world's favourite fish and a staple in many Canadian households. But what many people don't know is that growing demand is pushing tuna and other species impacted by destructive tuna fishing practices beyond their limits. Read more here about the threats to tuna and the millions of "bycatch" marine creatures caught by the tuna industry each year, often thrown back to the sea dead or dying.
As one of the largest suppliers of tuna, Clover Leaf has a major role to play in changing the tuna industry. Greenpeace volunteers were out informing supermarket customers about how they can help change Clover Leaf Seafoods from an oceans threat, to an oceans advocate. Despite the wind, despite the rain, people stopped to chat with us to learn how they could help safeguard our oceans, tuna and other bycatch species from the destructive tuna industry.
Help Greenpeace transform the tuna market so that tuna is sourced by sustainable and equitable means.
Amplify the message.
Click here for more information on Volunteering for Greenpeace.
Take action to change Clover Leaf! Call the company to ask why they refuse to join other leading brands in their commitment to make their tuna greener. Don’t our oceans and Clover Leaf customers deserve better?
Call Ron Schindler, Executive Vice President and Managing Director and ask him to urge the CEO, Chris Lischewski, to act now.
Call Ron at 1 905-474-0608 extension 7094
• If you cannot get through, press 1 or 2 for customer service or call the toll-free number at 1 877-893-9880.
Clover Leaf must act now to:
• stop sourcing Redlisted yellowfin tuna
• switch to more sustainable fishing methods to catch their skipjack, like FAD-free purse seining and pole and line
• transition away from harmful longlines to cleaner fishing methods for albacore tuna
• ensure fair and equitable tuna
• support ocean protection by committing to not source from proposed marine reserves like the high seas area in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean known as the Pacific Commons
Natalie Caine is a community and volunteer organizer with Greenpeace Canada, based in Toronto.