• SUSTAINABILITY

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Sea Harvest Group acknowledges that, as a leading, responsible and global agri-business, it is imperative that we integrate sustainable business practices throughout our operations. We have adopted a collaborative approach with our business partners, employees and other stakeholders. This is to protect our environment and promote the conservation of our natural resources for the company’s long-term sustainability and the prosperity of current and future generations.

SEA HARVEST IS PROUD TO
SUPPORT AN ECOSYSTEM
APPROACH TO FISHERIES IN
OUR WILD-CAPTURE OPERATIONS.

SUSTAINABLE FISH STOCKS

The Group supports the science-based management of all the marine resources we harvest to ensure that future generations can continue to benefit from the ocean. Evidence of our commitment to sustainable fishing is the South African offshore hake fishery. In 2004 it became the first hake fishery in the world to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – the global gold standard for ocean sustainability practices (www.msc.org).

This certification has been retained for over 15 years, which is an indication of the industry’s commitment to operating sustainably. MSC certification follows a rigorous assessment process during which an independent certification agency scrutinises every aspect of the fishery’s management and it must comply with the MSC’s main principles. These are:

– A fishery must be conducted in such a way that it does not lead to overfishing or a decrease in the stock;
– Fishing operations must not impact on the health of the marine ecosystem; and
– Fishing must be managed and regulated in a responsible way.

Our Australian Shark Bay prawns (Melicertus latisulcatus) also proudly carry the blue MSC logo.

Sustainability

COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS

Sea Harvest Corporation, the Group’s South African-based subsidiary, was a founding member of the Groundfish Forum, the world’s leading whitefish industry forum. Alongside WWF-SA, BirdLife South Africa and other fishing industry players, it is a co-founder and member of the Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA), which promotes an ecosystem approach to fishing (EAF).

As a member of the RFA, Sea Harvest strives to ensure that fish stocks are sustainably harvested and has contributed to various projects aimed at managing the impact that the South African deep-sea trawl fishery has on the environment. Through these projects, Sea Harvest has enjoyed further collaboration with fishers, scientists, conservationists and government in its efforts to support sustainable fishing practices.
Some of the key successes achieved by the RFA in recent years include a 90% reduction in seabird mortalities as a result of the introduction of bird scaring devices; improved management of bycatch; improved fisheries management; and skills development for fishers. Other threats to the marine environment have also been addressed, such as the call for a moratorium on marine phosphate mining in South Africa, which was an initiative undertaken in partnership with the Safeguard our Seabed Coalition, led by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER).