Responsible fishing: guiding consumers to choose the right fish, at the right season
Mr. Goodfish’s challenge: to preserve the fishery resources of the planet
The aim of the Mr. Goodfish program is to raise the awareness of the general public and sector professionals in Europe to the sustainable consumption of seafood products. Every season, Mr. Goodfish publishes a list of seafood products recommended by maritime-resources specialists with a view to encouraging the general public to play a role in the preservation of fishing resources.
These products meet three key criteria, namely:
- Season (outside the species’ reproduction peak/peaks)
- Minimum authorized size (to ensure that fish can reproduce at least once)
- The state of the fish stock (depending on the fishing sub-zones).
In this way, Mr. Goodfish reduces human pressure on weakened stocks, by modifying the behavior of professionals in the fishing industry and consumers. Its goal is that the general public and sector professionals play an active role in the preservation of marine resources: to ensure that their choices are underpinned by the management of seafood products.
In Arpège company restaurants, employees are made aware of responsible fishing
Every Wednesday since 2017, the restaurants of Arpège (Elior Group’s premium B&I catering brand) offer seafood products bearing the Mr. Goodfish stamp of approval. This partnership has made it possible to sell 2.7 tons of fresh Mr. Goodfish fish products each year.
Arpège chefs have developed a variety of responsible recipes with seafood bearing the Mr. Goodfish stamp of approval. The guests of a hundred or so Arpège restaurants have thus been made aware of the preservation of fishery resources and been able to taste original fish and seafood. Arpège chefs have worked with plaice, mackerel, hake, herring and saithe to create recipes highlighting the taste and nutritional qualities of Mr. Goodfish products. Particular attention is required when preparing mackerel (a species that migrates in schools and is present in large quantities in the oceans). Too much heat during the cooking process can destroy omega-3, a nutrient that is abundant in mackerel. Recipes are also adapted to suit catch and availability requirements and respect the seasonality of the different species, notably plaice.
This partnership underscores the commitment of Arpège to preserve biodiversity by adapting its seafood sourcing policy in line with marine ecosystems and recommendations of expert stakeholders. By informing the guests in its restaurants and raising the awareness of its distribution partners, Arpège, has, alongside Mr. Goodfish, brought all the links in the seafood product chain into play.
Comments(0)