By LISA  JENNINGS

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MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 09, 2009 ) —The state of ocean life is still in decline, but there could be a sea change in the push for sustainable seafood, according to a new benchmark report by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

A recent report from the Monterey Bay Aquarium highlights positive sustainable efforts by chefs and food suppliers.

Called “Turning the Tide: The State of Seafood,” the report, which was released late last month, documents the continuing threat of overfishing and environmental change, and also highlights positive efforts by chefs, food suppliers, consumers, businesses and governments that have helped reverse some of the damage already done.

In conjunction with the release of the report, aquarium officials also launched a national campaign asking chefs and restaurant operators to take the “Save Our Seafood pledge” and not serve items from the Seafood Watch “avoid” list, a program developed 10 years ago by the aquarium to reduce demand for endangered fish species.

Those who already have taken the pledge include Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago; Susan Spicer of Bayona in New Orleans; Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las Vegas; Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appetit Management Co. in Palo Alto, Calif.; Michelle Bernstein of Michy’s in Miami; Suzanne Goin of Lucques and A.O.C. in Los Angeles; and Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of Border Grill and Ciudad in Los Angeles.

“Forward-thinking chefs, food suppliers and seafood producers have taken innovative steps to adopt environmentally responsible practices,” the report said. “Consumers are driving the movement by connecting the fish on their plates with the living oceans from which they came, by voting with their wallets. These trends are positive and offer hope for the future.”

The report also praised such onsite foodservice companies as Compass Group North America and Aramark for making a significant commitment to purchasing sustainable seafood, especially at a time when demand for seafood is rising rapidly.

Americans are eating an average of 40 pounds of seafood per year—higher than the global average of 36 pounds per year—and over the next decade, demand is expected to grow by as much as 10-percent annually, the report said.

This year, for the first time, humans will eat more farm-raised seafood than wild caught. As the oceans are depleted, the aquaculture industry has ramped up to meet demand. However, aquaculture also comes with environmental challenges and must be managed to prevent harm to ocean ecosystems, the report notes.

Positive developments include the consensus reached earlier this year by scientists, who agreed on several steps for bringing back the world’s fish population. Among them were management techniques, such as closing fishing areas and restricting certain types of fishing gear; efforts by governments to better manage fisheries and fish farming; and limiting coastal pollution.

Legislation adopted in California last month, for example, has established a commission charged with the task of developing a new labeling system for seafood sold in the state that will allow retailers to market items that are “sustainable.”

But not everyone cheered the report.

The National Fisheries Institute, a nonprofit funded by seafood suppliers, producers and wholesalers, urged consumers to view the report with “skepticism.”

Contrary to the aquarium report, the NFI estimates that Americans eat only about 16 pounds of seafood on average per year.

NFI also said the aquarium’s report “simply adds to the already complex and confusing mass information about seafood on the Internet,” and that it “mixes health information with opinions about the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture.”—ljenning@nrn.com

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