Whole Foods said in a statement that it would continue to sell the products it had sourced while Maine lobster still met either group’s standards, and that it planned to resume purchases if the MSC recertified them or if Seafood Watch gave them a “yellow”. ” light.
It was not immediately clear what impact the retailer’s decision would have on the industry. A representative for Whole Foods declined to say how much he had already purchased. “These third-party verifications and assessments are essential to maintaining the integrity of our standards for all wild-caught seafood found in our seafood department,” a spokesperson said in an email. “We are monitoring this situation closely and are committed to working with suppliers, fishers and environmental groups as it evolves.”
Lobster may still be available at Whole Foods, which operates more than 500 locations and is owned by Amazon. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) This could be from when Maine lobster was still compliant — likely frozen — or it could be from other regions where lobster meets Marine standards. Stewardship Council or Seafood Watch. Whole Foods touts a seafood policy, rare for a retailer of its size, that all of its seafood is either “responsibly farmed or sustainably fished.” All of its wild-caught seafood must have the blessing of one of these groups, which are used by consumers, other retailers and foodservice providers to determine how sustainable the products are. The chain stopped selling live seafood in most of its locations in 2006.
These measures have drawn criticism from the lobster industry and political leaders in Pine Tree State. “We are disappointed with Whole Foods’ decision and deeply frustrated that the Marine Stewardship Council’s suspension of the lobster industry’s sustainability certificate continues to harm the livelihoods of hardworking men and women along the coast of Maine,” read a statement from the governor. Janet Mills (D) and the four members of the state Congressional delegation.
They said in the statement that “there has never been a right whale death attributed to Maine’s lobster gear” and that the state’s lobster fishermen have “a 150-year history of sustainability. “. Environmental experts note, however, that most right whale deaths are undocumented and it is often difficult to determine which lines caused a whale’s death.
Entanglements in fishing gear are a leading cause of death for endangered species, according to NOAA Fisheries. Fewer than 350 species remain, the agency says, and the right whale has been experiencing what it calls an “unusual mortality event” since 2017, meaning they are disappearing at a faster rate than ever before.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, which is responsible for protecting whales, updated its rules last year requiring lobster fishermen to reduce the amount of ropes in the water and restrict lobster for part of the year. This summer, however, a district court ruled in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups that the new rope rule failed to meet its legal obligations to protect whales under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The court ruling prompted a review of the MSC lobster certification.
Marianne LaCroix, executive director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, an industry group, said legal challenges have made it difficult for lobster fishermen. “They are caught in a situation that is not of their making,” she says. She added that it is too early to assess the impact of the Whole Foods decision. “He’s one of a diverse customer base for the product, which is sold around the world,” she said. Meanwhile, “the message we are sending is that this is a sustainable industry. We have fishermen who have been working for years to make their gear safer for right whales.
Some supporters hope Whole Foods’ decision will have wider effects.
“With Whole Foods and other buyers following expert advice on sustainability, this sends a very strong signal to the industry that change has to come, that saving these magnificent whales is a priority,” said Steve Blackledge. , Senior Director of Conservation Campaigns for Environment America. , which call for new rules requiring ropeless fishing gear. “And hopefully that will stiffen the spines of federal regulators as well.”
