Simply put, the United Nations define sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Our oceans are subject to many and varied pressures driven by increasing use of ocean resources and human-driven environmental change.

To ensure the sustainability of our oceans and fish stocks, the Australian Government undertakes research and provides a comprehensive annual assessment of the sustainability of almost every fish stock in Australian waters,  published by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.  These assessments are then incorporated into local State and Industry fisheries’ management plans, comprising regulations and guidelines concerning commercial fisher gear requirements, quota and other fish species’ limitations, and individual commercial fisher zone restrictions.

Based on the current assessments for South Australian fisheries,  only three marine scalefish species are classified as ‘depleted’. These are Snapper, Port River vongole and northern Gulf St. Vincent garfish. The first two of these are currently closed to fishing to allow the stocks to recover.  Garfish in northern Spencer Gulf is classified as ‘recovering’ after management intervention over the past few years. The remaining 25 fish stocks that are fished by the marine scalefish fishery are classified as biologically ‘sustainable’.

The MFA takes its environmental responsibility very seriously and, through co-management arrangements, works with Government and scientists from SARDI to ensure our fish stocks remain sustainable and oceans pristine for generations to come.

Key to maintaining a healthy diet, some of the advantages of eating wild caught fish sourced from sustainable resources are:

Taste
The fresh, clean taste of the ocean.

Nutrition
Raised on a natural diet free of processed, high-fat foods
Low in saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and calories
Rich in vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy diet.

Other Health Benefits
Contaminant free
Antibiotic free
Colour additive free.

Environment
Raised in an unconfined, natural environment
Living a natural life cycle
Free of the health risks associated with food and effluent pollutants not only detrimental to themselves but also other marine life
Free of the danger of introducing and spreading disease
Free of the noise pollution, vibration and water interference associated with large scale aquaculture.

Sustainability
Did you know?
It takes 4 kg of wild caught fish to produce 1 kg of farm raised fish
Aquaculture consumes more than 70 percent of the world’s fish oil and fishmeal, derived from forage fish like sardines, anchovies and menhaden. This is causing a world decline in capture fish resources.
Growing the quantity of high protein plant-based fish foods such as soy needed to feed farm raised fish has increased land-based deforestation, especially in third world countries.