FAQ

1. If I shouldn't be eating the Redlist species, what type of seafood can I eat?

There are very few sustainable fisheries. Identifying which fish come from sustainable sources is extremely complex because of the difficulties in accurately assessing fish populations and because it is very difficult to trace the supply of fish from the ocean to the shop. Buying sustainable fish is difficult because there is no clear labeling system that informs consumers.

In general, people should try to eat less fish, but when they do, buy species that come from lower-impact fisheries or fish farms such as spear or harpoon caught fish, farm raised shellfish and herbivores and trap caught shrimp.

2. Is Greenpeace anti-fishing industry?

No. Greenpeace believes that a sustainable fishing industry can provide a valuable source of protein and income, especially in coastal communities where these needs are great. Greenpeace wants to ensure that there will be fish for our future generations and a sustainable fishery now can help to ensure that. No fish means bad news for a fishery, so we actually want the same thing - lots of fish in the ocean.

3. What do you say to all the fishermen living in Canada's coastal communities that rely on the fishery? What about the economic impacts to them?

Harmful fishing practices only serve to remove fish from the world's oceans forever. If there aren't any fish left, everyone loses. But if we put the right policies and practices in place today, we can have healthy oceans and a robust seafood industry. The economic impacts incurred from implementing measures to ensure healthy fish and habitat pale in comparison to the impacts of a fishery collapse. The collapse of the Newfoundland cod fishery is a good example of that and the last thing our coastal communities need is another cod crisis.

4. Does Greenpeace oppose subsistence whaling in First Nations communities?

Greenpeace does not oppose the hunting of marine species including whales for the subsistence and cultural use by our First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal peoples.

5. Does Greenpeace still oppose the seal hunt? Why aren't you still out on the ice defending the baby seals?

Greenpeace is concerned about the health of the seal populations and the ecosystems to which they belong, especially in light of increasing threats and uncertainties associated with climate change. In the past Greenpeace has been witness to the hunt and continues to monitor its management and the health of the seal populations.

6. Does Greenpeace oppose the hunting of seals for subsistence purposes?

No. Greenpeace does not oppose the hunting of marine species for subsistence purposes.

7. What exactly is bottom trawling?

Read about bottom trawling here.

8. What does unsustainable really mean anyway?

The term unsustainable has many interpretations, but in the context of unsustainable fisheries, it refers to fishing or fish-farming practices where the demands on the environment or species exceed its natural ability to meet the demand.

9. The supermarkets have lots of fish so why does Greenpeace say that fish stocks are declining?

Industrial fishing fleets are fishing further and in deeper waters, using high tech equipment and often operating illegally in order to ensure our supermarkets and our restaurants have fish to sell. The shelves are full of what could be the last of our favourite seafood species if this pressure continues. Don't be fooled: full shelves don't mean full oceans.

10. Why is Greenpeace targeting supermarkets? Isn't it the fishing industry that needs to change?

Collectively, supermarkets sell a massive amount of seafood. By working selectively with suppliers, we can have a massive of amount of influence on how the products they sell are caught or produced. If large supermarkets stop selling the species that are in most dire straits, and start to demand only sustainably caught fish, the fishing industry and politicians will be forced to act to ensure that fishing practices are improved.

11. Aquaculture provides a lot of jobs in Canada, isn't it the way of the future? Isn't it the answer to declining fish stocks?

No. Fish farming has been promoted by the fishing industry and governments as the solution to ever-decreasing stocks in our oceans. However, in most cases fish farming only makes the problem worse! This is because:

1. Wild caught fish are often used for fish meal and fish oil to feed farmed stocks which increases the pressure on the marine environment rather than reducing it.
2. Some breeding stocks for fish farms are taken from wild populations.
3. Disease and parasites can easily spread from fish farms in open waterways to wild populations.
4. Environments surrounding fish farms are polluted by fish waste, uneaten food, and the chemicals, antibiotics and vaccines used to control disease.
5. Other species are often impacted by fish farms such as marine mammals and seabirds.
6. Social impacts to local populations are often incurred in some coastal fish farming nations.

12. Are there organic or certified seafood products that are better to buy? Is there a universal seafood label that Greenpeace recommends?

There is no single, truly effective "green" label that consumers can look for on fish products, as there is with wood products, for example (the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo). There is no truly equivalent labelling scheme for seafood.

13. What about MSC labelled seafood products?

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) runs a labelling scheme that "certifies" fisheries it deems as sustainable or that are making efforts to become sustainable. Greenpeace does not currently endorse the MSC scheme because, under its rules, fisheries that are still unsustainable (even though they are working to improve) can be awarded the MSC logo. Greenpeace and many other campaigning groups are working with the MSC to try and resolve this issue.

14. What is an ecosystem approach?

An ecosystem approach takes sustainability a step further. Rather than focusing only on a handful of commercially valuable fish species and their populations, an ecosystem approach looks at the health of the entire ecosystem that the fish live in. An ecosystem approach recognizes that all the elements of an ecosystem are connected and impact each other.

15. How many people are employed in Canada's fisheries and how much do they generate for the economy?

About 152,000 people are employed in ocean industries. Commercial fish catches were valued at $2 billion in 2005, while aquaculture was valued at $715.1 million.

16. Who manages Canadian fisheries and oceans?

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for conserving and protecting Canada's ocean environment and marine resources as well as for regulating maritime trade and commerce. The DFO also undertakes significant scientific research in all three of Canada's oceans (Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific) and runs the Coast Guard.