Dear Jeremy Langley,
Congratulations on your recent decision to remove orange roughy from your stores. As a supporter of the marine conservation organisation, Bite-Back, I think it is an excellent move. Thank you.
As a supporter of the marine conservation organisation Bite-Back, I think it is an excellent move. Thank you.
However, now that you have demonstrated an understanding for the issues that are driving orange roughy to the brink of extinction, let me encourage and remind you why you must take swordfish and monkfish from your fish counters too.
Swordfish does not reproduce until they are approximately five years old and live until they are nine. Right now they are being caught long before they reach a reproductive age, purely to meet the immediate retail and consumer demand.
Swordfish is caught commercially using a fiercely effective and indiscriminate fishing method, longlining. Each year longlines causes the unintentional death of 40,000 sea turtles, 180,000 seabirds plus thousands of sharks, dolphins and sea lions.
In the past five years, overfishing of swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean has seen stocks plummet by 66%. Stocks of swordfish in the Indian and Pacific Ocean are under increasing pressure to satisfy worldwide demand and will soon suffer he same catastrophic result unless we can reverse this trend.
Monkfish are now regularly being sourced outside of UK waters because they are becoming increasingly scarce. Perhaps that's because Monkfish don't reach a reproductive age until they are around seven and live until they are around 30, given the chance.
If Waitrose stops stocking swordfish and monkfish you will be making a significant contribution to their future survival.
A positive outcome could be used as a model to the rest of the food retail industry across the world, promoting ecologically responsible retailing.
Remember that Bite-Back is not alone in its recommendations. Organisations around the world including the Marine Conservation Society, National Audubon Society, Sea Food Choices Alliance, Natural Resources Defence Council, Blue Oceans Institute, Pew Oceans Commission, Union of Concerned Scientists, Monterey Bay Aquarium and the IUCN - World Conservation Union, are all fearful for the future of these species and all believe that, as consumers, we should avoid eating them.
Yet you continue to stock these fish.
My anger and frustration at your company's short-sightedness and ignorance is compounded by the fact that swordfish and monkfish regularly appear to be labelled with 'reduced to clear' stickers - suggesting that you struggle to sell these exotic and increasingly scarce fish in the first place. It makes no sense at all.
I want you to:
1. Stop buying and supplying your stores with these fish
2. Inform your customers that you will no longer be stocking fish
3.Help Bite-Back pioneer a retailer-led marine conservation initiative
4. Write and acknowledge this email
5.Let Bite-Back publicise your positive decision
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
