An issue of sustainability

A reader of this blog who knows I’ve been investigating sustainable seafood asked earlier where the tuna used in The Lakehouse’s sublime tuna shooter came from.

The answer (yes, I did ask) is from South Australian aquaculture company Clean Seas Tuna, which has recently coaxed the fussy and highly migratory southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks. This achievement earned the company the number two spot on Time magazine’s list of the 50 Best Inventions of 2009 and is expected to revolutionise the tuna industry, providing a sustainable source of the fish at a time when wild caught stocks are under threat (the numbers of southern bluefin tuna have plummeted more than 90 per cent since the 1950s).

On the subject on canned tuna - the top-selling seafood item in Australia - Greenpeace has recently released a canned tuna guide, which ranks popular brands for sustainability. Brands were assessed on the basis of whether the tuna comes from overfished stocks or from illegal vessels or companies, is labelled correctly and whether the fishing method used results in high levels of by catch such as dolphins, turtles and seabirds, as well as whether the company supports marine reserves and equitable fishing. The rankings are based on an international canned tuna ranking system, with Australian tuna brands apparently having some of the worst practices worldwide.

Unfortunately my favourite brand of canned tuna, Sirena, came 10th out of the 10 brands tested... As much as I like Sirena tuna, I’ll be putting my money where my mouth is next time I go shopping.