SeaChoice’s 2016 Taking Stock report identified the top three seafood species imports to Canada, by volume, considered to have serious sustainability issues: skipjack tuna, farmed tropical shrimp, and farmed Atlantic salmon.

Though these three high volume, and high monetary value species are common in the Canadian market, most Canadians are unable to identify them as less sustainable choices because of a lack of labelling and information on their environmental and social impacts. SeaChoice has selected these three large seafood imports as priority species to address in the seafood supply chain.

Improving the management of these three species can significantly decrease the widespread negative environmental impacts they currently have on global ecosystems. Canadians can also rest assured that their most plentiful seafood options are being harvested  sustainably, whether produced in Canada or imported. Enhancing these species’ sustainability means not only looking at their environmental impacts, but also at the social impacts of industry workers and their surrounding communities.

SeaChoice will continue to push for more transparent, traceable labelling, so Canadian consumers can differentiate these seafood products in the market. Through our Seafood Progress program, we will discourage retailers from sourcing these species and/or encourage them to engage in efforts to improve their sustainability. We will also provide retailers with information on alternative, and more sustainable, imported seafood sourcing options.