SAVING OUR SEA
STARTS FROM
WHAT WE EAT

In Europe each of us eats an average of 25 kg of fish per year, 19 kg of which are imported.

The oceans of the entire planet are threatened by the over-exploitation of fishing stock. It is up to us to save our seas and oceans.
For this reason, EUROJERSEY supports WWF Italy in growing public awareness with regard to the need to buy responsibly, with a preference for fish products which are caught in such a way as to preserve fishing stock and the fishermen whose livelihoods depend on it. The over exploitation of fishing stock, to satisfy an ever increasing demand, represents a serious threat for fish and fishermen. EUROJERSEY and WWF ITALIA are committed to preventing this crisis.
Overfishing can be stopped, with the help of all.

How does sustainable fishing stop overfishing?

Collateral damage

Fishing is a human activity whose impact on marine ecosystems is far from negligible. First and foremost, overfishing can cause a decline in fish stocks which, if not checked, can lead to the actual extinction of certain species.
The type of fishing equipment used can cause accidental damage to the sea beds and to biodiversity. Some fishing methods may even have an irreversible negative impact on the environment and destroy important marine habitats. Other methods may catch and kill some forms of protected marine life and even go as far as determining the extinction of entire species.

Innovative solutions and protected marine areas

Thanks to current scientific knowledge, it is possible to fish in a sustainable manner by complying with certain regulations regarding management and conduct and by gathering and sharing fishing data. Today’s market offers innovative fishing equipment which is able to reduce the negative impact on marine biodiversity and ecosystems, thus providing an important solution for the safety of our oceans. Protected marine areas are also essential for guaranteeing the survival of marine species and for building up depleted fish stocks.
Another winning strategy for safeguarding our future is that of involving the fishing industry and its operators in planning and co-managing sustainable fishing activities.

All the hard facts

85%

of the assessed fish stocks in the Mediterranean are overfished

33%

of the global fish stocks are overfished

15%

of the world’s total annual capture could be illegal and unregulated, this number could reach up soon to 26 million tons on a global scale

68%

of the consumed fish products in Europe are imported

Together we can make a difference

BUY CERTIFIED SEAFOOD
Look for MSC or ASC or organic certified labels.
CHECK THE LABELS
In the EU it’s your legal right to know the full name of the product you’re buying, where it comes from, whether it was caught or bred and how, and whether it’s fresh or previously frozen.
DON’T EAT BABY FISH
A fish below a certain size is not yet adult, and has not had time to reproduce. Check that you are buying adult fish. In doing so you will help replenish the seas.
TASTE DIVERSITY
Diversity in seafood consumption supports a more balanced pressure on marine resources. Biodiversity makes ecosystems stronger.

BLUE SHARK
Prionace glauca

TO BE AVOIDED

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPECIES
The Blue Shark owes its name to its dorsal colouring. In Italy it is more commonly called Verdesca or Verdone. It has a streamlined body, a long snout and large eyes. It can grow up to 4 m in length. It lives between the water surface and a depth of 150 m where it hunts small fish, calamari, squid and pelagic fish.
FISHING IMPACT
Blue sharks are often incidentally caught in swordfish and tuna fishing activities entailing the use of special fishing nets (longliners of a wide diameter) left to drift, with seiners or lines. Besides fishing for commercial usage, the Blue Shark is subjected to recreational fishing.

MULLET
Mullus barbatus

TO BE AVOIDED

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPECIES
It is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and in the North-East Atlantic. It lives up to 400 m of depth on sandy or muddy seabed, where it uses the two typical tactile whiskers placed under the mouth to rummage the sediments and obtain the prey it feeds on. The body, which can reach 25-30 cm in length, is pink-silver in color.

FISHING IMPACT
Mud mullets are mainly caught with trawl nets or gill nets. Trawl nets have a high percentage of accidental catches of young fishes, sharks and rays and they cause serious damage to communities living on the seabed.

HAKE
Merluccius spp.

TO BE CONSUMED RESPONSIBLY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPECIES
There are various species of hake originating from different parts of the world, the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific.
Hake lives at depths of up to 1000 m and may grow to a length of one and a half metre. It is heavily endangered by over-fishing, because it grows slowly and takes a long time to reach maturity, some species living as long as 20 years.

FISHING IMPACT
Hake is mainly trawler-fished, which generates a high rate of incidental catch (about one third of the fish caught).

SAVING OUR SEA STARTS FROM WHAT WE EAT