IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Mr Goodfish: helping consumers make the right choice

09 September 2012 | Audio

"If you want to keep on eating fish, you need to choose the right fish today". This is the message promoted by the Mr Goodfish campaign to fish lovers at the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

The idea of the campaign was borne from the understanding that fish stocks are not unlimited and that many fish species are overfished in Europe. Data on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ™ shows that 40% of freshwater fish in Europe are at risk of extinction.

Ludovic Frère Escoffier from the Nausicaa Centre de la Mer explains how the campaign works.

This innovative approach is undertaken in close collaboration with the fisheries industry in France, Italy and Spain i.e. the fishermen, wholesalers, restaurants and fishmongers and is proving to have a positive impact on consumer choices.

Escoffier adds that the campaign doesn't force consumers to stop eating fish altogether, instead it encourages them to not eat undersized and 'out-of season' fish.

The campaign was initiated two years ago under the World Ocean Network by three aquariums: Nausicaa Centre de la Mer in France, an IUCN Member, the Acquario di Genoa in Italy and the Aquarium Finistaerre in Spain.

"It is possible to replicate this campaign in other regions especially with the help of an organization like IUCN with its expertise and wide network," says Escoffier.