McKINLEYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading sustainable seafood company, Wild Planet Foods, was one of only two brands to score a passing grade in a new report from Greenpeace, which examines the sustainability and sourcing practices of companies providing canned tuna in Canada.
This report states that while most companies now have some kind of sustainable procurement policy in place, too few have actually made changes to how the tuna they sell is caught. According to the environmental group, most canned tuna sold in Canada comes from at-risk fish stocks that are caught using destructive fishing methods.
Guided by resources such as Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch®, Wild Planet’s fishing practices meet the highest standards of sustainability – to promote species population, preserve marine habitat, and avoid unnecessary bycatch when fishing.
With strict quality control from fishhook to store shelf, Wild Planet Foods sources its premium line of tuna and other canned seafood products from fisheries practicing sustainable fishing methods. Wild Planet operates three Pacific Northwest docks and is therefore the “first receiver” of each catch, allowing the company to hand select tuna for canning.
Exclusive use of pole and troll fishing techniques eliminate the bycatch of sea turtles, seabirds, sharks and other fish commonly killed or wounded by the longline methods used to supply the conventional canned seafood companies.
As part of the company’s commitment to providing canned tuna that does not come from destructive fishing operations, Wild Planet has a long standing sustainable seafood procurement policy in place and also has a full monitoring system to ensure suppliers are meeting sustainability requirements. In fact, Wild Planet Foods is able to trace their tuna through every link in the supply chain, so customers can be sure that the tuna found in Wild Planet branded products is what is listed on the label and was not fished illegally.
“We appreciate Greenpeace’s recognition and are proud to be a trustworthy choice for consumers interested in protecting our fish populations,” says Bill Carvalho, Wild Planet Foods’ founder, president and seafood industry veteran. “We strive to provide our customers with important product information by indicating the specific fishing gear used in the harvest. We also endeavor to present important health and product quality details by even describing the unique processing methods used that make our product not just a best choice for the environment but also the best choice for a discriminating consumer.”
For Canadian distributors, contact Procon Canada in Eastern Canada, 519-823-9292, hugh@proconcanada.ca and Summit Specialty Foods in Western Canada, 250-542-5540, ssfoods@telus.net. For more information, please visit www.wildplanetfoods.com.