Monthly Archives: April 2017

Hey SASSI champions! WWF-SASSI assessments have been finalised for a number of priority South African and International species for inclusion onto the WWF-SASSI list and consumer tools. This was a rigorous process whereby the public was included and provided an opportunity to comment on the draft assessments per the WWF-SASSI notifications to WWF-SASSI stakeholders on 19 January 2017 for local species and on 13 February 2017 for international species. WWF-SASSI has now completed the review process, incorporating public comments and an external review process for the local species.

The public, including interested and affected parties, are hereby notified of the final assessment outcomes listed, which can be found at http://wwfsassi.co.za/public-notice-final-colours-on/ . Some of the changes in the South African fishery include Sardines, Gurnards and Carpenter shifting from the green to the orange list. Some major prawn species supplied to South Africa from International fisheries are also now red-listed. The ocean needs us to continue being champions, more than ever. The final WWF-SASSI assessment results will be included in all WWF-SASSI materials and consumer tools, which will be available to the public after 60 days from this communication (19 June 2017).

We thank you for your support and participation in the WWF-SASSI assessment process!

The WWF-SASSI Retailer/ Supplier Participation Scheme has made great strides in transforming the seafood sector in the past 10 years by encouraging sustainable procurement in response to consumer demand. The move towards a more sustainable seafood sector is due to a combination of increased consumer demand for more sustainable options, the foresight of WWF to work with seafood retailers and suppliers along the supply chain and the retailers and suppliers themselves who have put in the hard work.

The nine WWF-SASSI participants are I&J, John Dory’s, Pick n Pay, Food Lover’s Market, Woolworths, SPAR Group Limited, Ocean Basket, Sun International and Breco Seafoods. An example in the South African context is the action taken by the nine national retailers and suppliers who sent a joint letter to the Namibian Hake Association (NHA) to request improvements in environmental performance of their fishery.

Following this engagement, the NHA committed to have their fishery assessed against the Marine Stewardship Council standard for sustainable fisheries, with the process due to begin in early 2017.

Together, WWF-SASSI participants hold the power to transform the seafood sector by supporting fisheries under improvement, stocking sustainable seafood species that comply with traceability principles, and ensuring that seafood products are adequately labelled with enough information so that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions.

Click here to download the 2016 Retailer Report

In our previous newsletter, we highlighted a growing concern about the diminishing population of the popular West Coast Red Lobster (WCRL). Being one of South Africa’s pioneer fisheries, the WCRL industry is rich in its socio-economic value through job provision, and supporting economic growth.

Due to overfishing, increased illegal harvesting and poor management of the WCRL fishery only 2% of original stock remains. These series of events has sadly shifted the WCRL to the red list, which you may have followed. WWF-SASSI released a draft red-listing for WCRL in 2016 because the resource is sitting precariously close to collapse.

Through WWF-SASSI’s 2016 campaign to ‘Skip the Kreef’. The listing was finalised by the WWF-SASSI team at the end of 2016 to be headed with a warning that kreef could disappear completely from menus within the next 5 years unless radical restoration measures are implemented to save the fishery. The launch of the #SkiptheKreef social media awareness campaign called on consumers to avoid eating this popular seafood over the festive season, as they would any other red-listed species. WWF, along with fishers, submitted an open letter to the Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), to call for a drastic reconsideration.  Thanks to consumer power, the campaign reached over 297 000 people on Facebook, 71 000 twitter impressions, 72 print publication, 38 Broadcasts on radio & TV and 90 000 views on You Tube. More importantly major restaurants publicly announced that they will not be selling Kreef this summer. Well done ocean champions!

WWF-SASSI is continuing to call on consumers to use their buying power and voices to protect the species as well as the fishers who may depend on it for their support a WWF-SASSI green listing in years to come.

During National Marine Week in October 2016, Two Oceans Aquarium teamed up with WWF-SASSI to focus on sustainable seafood. This involved everyone from staff and visitors, to social media and blog articles using WWF-SASSI as a theme. WWF-SASSI report statistics were shared to highlight the plight of overfishing and the WWF-SASSI tools were advertised as a solution and call to action. A presentation was made to aquarium staff, on WWF-SASSI as a consumer tool, which was well received by all.

An exciting pop up education station was run by the aquarium visitor services staff, near the penguin exhibit that focused on understanding what the WWF-SASSI colours meant. Seafood pictures were displayed and visitors were asked to use the pocket card to place the seafood pictures in the correct colour category. This generated a lot of discussion and was an interactive and fun way to engage people on the topic.

Marine week 2016 was an overall success and the partnership with WWF-SASSI inspired discussion and awareness on the topic of seafood sustainability.

The Cooked in Africa Production Company has been a supporter of WWF-SASSI for over half a decade and this year marks the fifth successive season that they have invited a WWF-SASSI representative onto the set of their award winning outdoor cooking series Ultimate Braai Master.

The collaboration has seen WWF-SASSI incorporated into episodes shot in the most iconic seascapes around our coastline, from the West Coast town of Paternoster all the way round our coastline to Sodwana Bay in the iSimangaliso National Park.

Season five is currently airing on eTV every Sunday at 4pm and is watched by nearly 2 million people. Chris Kastern from WWF-SASSI joined this year’s Ultimate Braai Master contestants on the Wild Coast and got to teach them about responsible oyster and mussel foraging in the mouth of the Kobonqaba River.

After that it was off to the Wavecrest Hotel to find some hidden FiSHTORY historical fishing images and to talk about throwing some WWF-SASSI Green-list fish, wrapped in wet newspaper, over the coals. (The set then moved South to Seagulls Resort where the contestants joined Chris for a beach hike to the infamous Jacaranda shipwreck, along the way they got to wet a line and were shown how to become citizen scientists by logging their catch on the recreational fishing website, CatchReport.

Thanks to Justin Bonello and his crew for once again encouraging South Africans to choose Green-list seafood for their braai!

(c) Photo: Louis Hiemstra Photography

Hi, I’m Kirtanya, a new addition to the WWF-SASSI team this year, interning in the Consumer Awareness programme. This          newsletter was really fun to create, especially considering I come from a Biological Science background. I’ve always wanted to put my science degrees to use and be part of sharing the great science-related work out there, especially information on our oceans, and what we can do to become conscious consumers.

I have always loved the environment and running projects on campuses and through NGOs. In 2015 I was awarded at the Enviropaedia Eco Awards as an Eco-Youth of South Africa, and was also mentored by the Green Matter Fellowship as an ambassador of Biodiversity in South Africa, throughout my masters in Marine Biology. I have been very lucky to travel to China and Belgium for teaching internships and ocean data trainings, and I must admit, there is no place like home, and no work I’d rather be doing! I believe South Africa needs all the passion, and activation we can mobilise. WWF-SASSI provides a platform to do this – You can be an ocean champion no matter who you are!

I’m thrilled to be part of the WWF-SASSI team and engage in such meaningful work with diverse people, in a great environment. I look forward to engaging with you this year through our newsletters, social media, and volunteer training!

Keep it Green!

Dear SASSI community,

WWF-SASSI has finalised WWF-SASSI assessments for a number of priority South African and international species for inclusion onto the WWF-SASSI list and consumer tools. The SANCOR community and the public were provided an opportunity to comment on the draft assessments per the WWF-SASSI notifications to the SANCOR community and WWF-SASSI stakeholders on 19 January 2017 for local species and on 13 February 2017 for international species. WWF-SASSI has now completed the review process, incorporating public comments and an external review process for the local species. The public, including interested and affected parties, are hereby notified of the final assessment outcomes listed in two tables below

These final WWF-SASSI assessment results will be included in all WWF-SASSI materials and consumer tools, which will be available to the public after 60 days from this communication (19 June 2017).

For further information, please read the attached assessment protocol, visit the WWF-SASSI website

(http://wwfsassi.co.za/), and/or send us a message at sassi@wwf.org.za.  Please note WWF-SASSI will be sending out an additional DRAFT local and international species list for comments.

Thank you for your support and participation in the WWF-SASSI assessment process!

WWF-SASSI

Tel: +27 21 657 6600

Fax: 086 535 9433 Email: sassi@wwf.org.za

Follow us on Twitter @WWFSASSI

SOUTH AFRICAN FISHERIES – FINAL 2017 ASSESSMENTS

*Indicates a colour changes from the previous assessments.

INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES – FINAL 2017 SASSI ASSESSMENTS

*Indicates a colour changes from the previous assessment

Download pdf here: 2017 May Assesment Outcomes_Final