The South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) is a collaborative initiative founded by WWF-SA. It aims to improve the conservation status of over-exploited seafood and empower consumers to make environmentally responsible seafood choices. The easy-to-use ‘traffic light’ system tells you which seafood can be eaten with a clear conscience (on the Green list), which seafood you should think twice about (on the Orange list), and which seafood should be avoided altogether because it is either considered unsustainable or illegal to sell in South Africa (on the Red list).
To use the SASSI list you need to know what species you are eating, how it was caught/farmed and where it comes from.
• what – the health of fish stocks and the vulnerability of the species to fishing pressure
• how – the environmental effects of the fishing method used to capture the fish (how)
• where – the effectiveness of the management of the fishery
Only the most popular seafood species have been included on this pocket card.
Green – best choice
These are the most sustainable seafood choices, from the healthiest and most well-managed fish populations. These species can handle current fishing pressure or are farmed in a way that does not harm the ocean.
Examples: Anchovy, Angelfish, Calamari/Squid, Cape rock oyster, Dorado (SA line caught), Oysters (SA farmed), Rainbow trout (SA farmed) Sardines (SA), White mussel (SA hand collected), Yellowfin tuna (SA pole caught), Yellowtail, etc.
Orange – think twice
There are reasons for concern either because the species is depleted as a result of overfishing and cannot sustain current fishing pressure or because the fishing or farming method poses harm to the environment and/or the biology of the species makes it vulnerable to high fishing pressure.
Examples: Atlantic salmon (Norway farmed), Cape dory, Octopus, Prawns (various species) Red roman,
Sole (East Coast), West Coast rock lobster, etc.
Red – don’t buy
Red list species are from unsustainable populations, have extreme environmental concerns, lack appropriate management or are illegal to buy or sell in SA. ‘No sale’ species are illegal to sell and are reserved for recreational fishers who require a valid fishing permit.
Examples: Abalone, Bluefin tuna, Black musselcracker, Brindle bass, Bronze bream, Cape stumpnose,
East coast rock lobster (KZN), Galjoen, Red stumpnose, Silver kob (SA line caught), White stumpnose, etc.
The examples given above for each of the lists not complete. Please refer to the attached Sassi Pocket Card.
Source: http://wwfsassi.co.za
