This year we’ve been working with allies in Australia to initiate the world’s first shareholder resolutions to prevent an extinction emergency. Our expertise in farmed salmon, major grocer sustainable seafood policies, and aquaculture certifications informed the shareholder campaign, resolutions, and conversations with financial investors. 

The resolutions call on Australia’s two major grocers, Woolworths and Coles, to disclose how their farmed salmon sourcing is impacting threatened species, and to stop selling Macquarie Harbour salmon due to impacts to the endangered Maugean skate – a shark-related species that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Only 40-120 adult skates remain in the harbour, it’s only home. 

Some of Australia’s largest ethical funds have declared their support for the resolutions ahead of the grocers’ Annual General Meetings in October and November. At the AGMs tough questions will be asked of the companies’ boards and CEOs – including from our own SeaChoice representative from Living Oceans, Kelly Roebuck – as to how they can justify continuing to sell a product associated with greenwashing an extinction during a time when companies are expected to prevent biodiversity impacts throughout their supply chain, not contribute to them.

By supporting the first global shareholder campaign of this kind, Living Oceans and SeaChoice is keen to see if a similar campaign could be established in Canada. Stay tuned!

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