takes into account the state of fish stocks, the amount of seabird, marine mammal and non-target fish bycatch, the damage done to marine habitats and other ecological effects caused by the fishing to decide on its rating.

It’s a tool that empowers the consumer to make an informed choice about their seafood. Just as we might give it a sniff to judge freshness or compare prices, the Best Fish Guide is a sniff-test of each fish species’ sustainability. Forest and Bird say:

Making the best seafood choice is not easy. All fishing has an impact. We urge you to use this guide to help make more informed choices when buying seafood… Our combined buying power can help take pressure off the most over-exploited species and alleviate the harm caused by the most damaging fisheries. Our choices can also influence government policies, change fishing practices and help ensure that fisheries are managed sustainably.

The wallet-card guide can be obtained from Forest and Bird, and the ratings are all online here. The full assessment and methodology are also downloadable:

• The Best Fish Guide: Ecological Assessment (PDF, 2028 kb)
• The Best Fish Guide : Assessment Methodology (PDF, 705 kb)

Metiria wrote in a recent think-piece about the state of our oceans and fisheries that:

Our ocean is not “out of sight, out of mind”; it is the backyard, the pantry and a source of pride for all New Zealanders. It is not too late to reverse the decline, and it makes economic sense to do so now. We can commit to strong action on climate change, a good Oceans Policy, and making the Fisheries Act sustainable.

Consumer tools like the Best Fish Guide help us as individuals vote with our wallets for a sustainable and healthy ocean.

To end, here’s something a Kiwi band could copy: the Oxford band Stornoway make a political point in their ‘Good Fish Guide’ song:

As rule-maker & whistle-blower, one of the first questions facing the new Minister of Fisheries – Phil Heatley – is how many sea-lions can be killed this season?

Since 2003, a more information rich but highly complex model has been used to set the quota. It is like a minefield trying to get your head around the facts and figures Last year, based on advice from  MFish senior managers, the Minister made a controversial decision that greatly favoured the fishing industry – not the sustainability of NZ sea-lions. This was despite opposition from  the MFish science and policy teams as well as the Department of Conservation.

With this in mind, I ask how does one make an allowable kill quota on New Zealand sea lions whilst maintaining the ‘sustainable New Zealand’ brand?  Should the Minister support an allowable kill quota and if so, how many is acceptable? Or should they be saying no to the fishing industry – for the sake of the New Zealand Inc brand and the recovery of our depleted sea lion population?

Congratulations to F&B for widening their voice into the blogosphere. We need more credible voices asking pertinent questions about the destruction of our natural heritage. Green supporters should give it a look in and comment on the offerings.

So how about it Phil? Will you overturn Labour’s stupid adjustment of the quota, or make it worse still?

Forest & Bird is asking the public to help save our sharks by signing the shark fin pledge:

“We pledge our support for a ban on shark finning in New Zealand waters because we are concerned that shark finning is contributing to a decline in shark species worldwide.  We pledge that we will:

• Not eat or serve shark fin soup
• Avoid restaurants which sell shark fin soup
• Not catch sharks just for their fins
• Support a law change to make shark finning illegal in NZ.�?

You can sign the pledge online here

With your pledge you’ll be joining New Zealand chefs, food writers and TV presenters including Simon Holst, Peta Mathias, Julie Le Clerc and Richard Till.

Should we damn the river and its environs by building a dam? Is building hydro power a reversible decision? I think everyone knows my answer to these important questions.

This hydro dam will require Meridian to flood the Mokihinui Gorge, which is home to endangered bats, kiwi, snails, kaka and whio. It will also prevent many fish from swimming out to sea to breed. 12 of those fish species are natives, and four of them are endangered. And, of particular interest to Metiria and Russel are the long fin eels.

Long fin eels live for about 100 years if they are allowed. They swim all the way from their river in New Zealand to deep sea trenches off the coast in Tonga where they breed. The children then make their way slowly back to the same river from where their parents came.

The Ministry of Fisheries has no available estimates of the current biomass of long fin eels. It says

[T]here are no stock assessments, or reliable data or time series on which to base specific recommendations on catch levels.

Given the biology of eels, there is a high risk that the current exploitation levels for longfin eels in particular, coupled with past and present anthropogenic impacts, are not sustainable.

The West Coast Regional Council has given notice that it is considering resource consent for this dam and is accepting public submissions until April 23.

Forest and Bird opposes the dam and points out that the Department of Conservation rates the Mokihinui River as the seventh most important river in New Zealand because of its natural heritage values.

You can join Forest and Bird’s campaign to oppose the dam and find a great deal of resources on how to make a simple submission to the Regional Council opposing the dam on their website.

Given the role Talley’s plays in the current state of our fisheries I imagine the advertising agency that designed this particular piece of greenwash would be washing their hands with bleach.

Talley’s is currently selling Monkfish on special:

As a sustainable resource, Monkfish allows our customers to benefit from an ongoing supply of this nutritious and delectable, high quality, seafood product.

Forest and Bird have a slightly different story to tell about the Monkfish. It rates Monkfish as one of the worst fish you can eat in terms of environmental impact. Currently we have no information available to let us know how many monkfish exist or where they are. Many Monkfish are caught by bottom trawling; a practice Talley’s boss, Andrew Talley has claimed is sustainable.

Talley’s doesn’t just catch monkfish. It is also the place to go if you want any of these fish listed as the worst choice of fish to catch in Forest and Bird‘s Fish Guide for 2007-2008: Hoki, Ling, Alfonsino, Hake, Oreo Dory, Flounder, Squid, Southern Blue Whiting, Orange Roughy and Warehou.