Sanford Fishing

Today we talked with sustainability manager Peter Longdill at Sanford Fishing Company, the largest fishery in New Zealand. One of the most interesting things to hear was how their auctioning worked. I’ve never heard of an auction that starts high and goes low. This is a sustainable practice as it ensures that reasonable prices are available not only for the company purchasing the fish but ultimately the individual consumer. Over inflation of fish would reduce demand, and this system is unique in keeping this in check. I also liked hearing about how they use science to develop quotas to prevent overfishing. This is sustainable for the company and the fish. If the fish supply gets depleted, then not only does the ocean life suffer, but the company can go out of business. It’s good to know that even wild caught fish can be sustainable, as many may want to switch to farmed fishing because of its sustainability promises. However, as Peter mentioned, there are downsides to farmed fishing because it takes energy to create their feed and the fish could be living in very close, unsanitary quarters. Therefore, it’s good to see that wild caught fish can, too, be sustainable. Finally, Peter touched on areas of sustainability that still need improvements, including packaging. The company still uses plastics among other non-biodegradable materials to insulate fresh fish. They are looking for better replacements but still haven’t found an adequate one. This is something scientists now can be working on. Overall, this visit was very interesting and informative, and definitely made me crave some fresh seafood!