The outstanding dedication of Canadian chefs and restaurants to sustainable seafood is an important driver for propelling SeaChoice and its goals forward. The combined buying power certainly makes a difference; in addition, by taking a leadership role and offering sustainable seafood options, restaurants and chefs also help raise awareness and directly influence consumer preferences.
SeaChoice continues to build its list of culinary partners across Canada. These individuals (and organizations) support SeaChoice, and we support them. When it comes to sustainable seafood, chefs such as Rob Clark, Jamie Kennedy, and Michael Howell are leading trendsetters in the restaurant industry. Join us for the benefit of your business and your planet.
What chefs need to know
Q: What can chefs do to support healthy oceans? A: From offering sustainable seafood options and introducing underutilized fish on the menu, to reducing packaging and your restaurant’s carbon footprint, chefs are in a unique position to support healthy oceans. Please stay tuned, as we have some exciting new resources coming!
Q: What are some existing resources that chefs can use to help to spread the word about sustainable seafood? A: SeaChoice offers tools such as our seafood guides (also for sushi) and our In-Depth Guide to Sustainable Seafood for training staff. Our Business Guide provides a more broad perspective on steps all businesses should be taking toward sustainability; share this with the owners of your restaurant. Check out our resources page for all these links. We can also explore more tailored materials depending on your needs and budget. Let’s talk!
There are also full training programs out there for chefs. Check out Blue Ocean Institute’s "Green Chefs, Blue Ocean" online training: an interactive course to inform chefs and culinary students about all facets of seafood sustainability.
Q: Does SeaChoice partner with restaurants or chefs? A: SeaChoice is interested in working with chefs to raise awareness about sustainable seafood. Whilst we do not currently have a menu labeling program, there are many other ways to get involved. From offering staff training resources and sourcing solutions, to providing seafood guides for your guests, SeaChoice is here to help you on your path to sustainability. We may need to call on you too; with chefs helping to spread the word, our combined voice gets harder to ignore.
Q: I have been taking steps toward seafood sustainability at my place of work. Does SeaChoice recognize these efforts? A: Send us your story and it can be profiled on our website.
Q: If customers request sustainable seafood, can I only recommend seafood on the SeaChoice “Best Choice” list? A: SeaChoice strongly urges restaurants to highlight or feature the items that have been identified as our “Best Choice”. Seafood located in the SeaChoice “Best Choice” list is currently meeting a higher level of sustainability than items listed in our “Some Concerns” or “Avoid” categories. Several other fisheries and aquaculture producers are improving their practices and are proactively moving towards meeting the “Best Choice” criteria. Chefs and restaurants are encouraged to work in collaboration with organizations like SeaChoice to support fisheries policy and management reform.
Q: Many customers are aware of the negative environmental impacts from salmon farming. Is all farmed seafood considered unsustainable? A: No, not all farmed seafood is considered unsustainable. In fact, many farmed species appear on the SeaChoice “Best Choice” list. There are fish and shellfish farming methods that do not pollute, damage habitat, or diminish wild stocks. Please reference our online seafood database or view on of the SeaChoice wallet guides for an up-to-date list of farmed seafood on the “Best Choice” list.
Q: Do other programs have different methodologies or criteria to determine sustainability? A: Numerous conservation organizations use the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s assessment methodology. However, there are a number of other assessment methodologies used by conservation groups and certification programs.
- The Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program uses SeaChoice and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s assessments to measure sustainability.
- Other programs that conduct their own assessments – like the Marine Stewardship Council – look at similar criteria.
Even though rankings and/or recommendations may differ from time to time, there is general agreement on what practices are more sustainable.
Q: Does SeaChoice consider mercury and other toxin levels in the seafood rankings? A: Currently, SeaChoice does not assess toxin levels or health risks associated with seafood. However, SeaChoice does include health advisories issued by the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF). These advisories are based on the most robust dataset of seafood contaminant information. More details on EDF’s health recommendations can be found on their website.
Q: Do SeaChoice assessments include organic seafood products? A: There are no national organic standards for seafood products in Canada. Other countries have developed organic standards for seafood and apply these to aquaculture products. Currently, SeaChoice does not include organic certification in our assessments.
Q: How important is obtaining detailed information about the seafood I buy & sell? A: In a word, it’s critical. Visibility and traceability into your supply chain will allow your business to identify items you sell that may be considered our SeaChoice “Best Choice”. Documentation regarding the species name, catch method, region, fishery, and even vessel go a long way in identifying which items are more sustainable than others. In Canada, there is no legal requirement for businesses to obtain or track this information.
Q: What are some chef events that SeaChoice has been involved in? A: SeaChoice has hosted sustainable seafood cooking competitions and tasting dinners, as well as industry awareness events. We also provide resources to support chefs at other events such as Feast of Fields and the Canadian Chefs’ Congress. If you have an event that you would like support with, please let us know.
