"Blue Seal" being awarded to Azul Profundo restaurant. (Photo: Ministerio de Economía)
'Blue Seal' launched to recognize legal fishing committed trade
CHILE
Tuesday, May 23, 2017, 01:40 (GMT + 9)
Through SERNAPESCA, the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism presented the "Blue Seal" Program for Responsible Seafood Consumption, a voluntary emblem that recognizes the establishments that subscribe a commitment to the sustainability of the fishing activity, respecting the regulations and contributing to release and training.
As part of the Sea Month activities, Economy Minister Luis Felipe Céspedes and SERNAPESCA director José Miguel Burgos arrived at Azul Profundo restaurant, where, after supervising SERNAPESCA staff, they acknowledged the establishment with the seal.
The same will happen with 50 other restaurants throughout the country, as part of the first phase of the program, which prioritizes emblematic seafood restaurants in the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana, Biobío and Los Ríos. The goal is to reach 100 establishments by the end of 2017.
During the second stage, the label will be distributed not only to restaurants but also to marketing centres such as fishmongers, supermarkets, coves, among others, and will be extended to all regions.
Cespedes highlighted the initiative and said that it is vitally important to return sustainability to the centre of Chilean fisheries sector development.
"When we talk about sustainability we have to talk about it throughout the entire production chain. We have a situation of illegal fishing that generates serious sustainability issues, also affecting the development of artisanal fishing and the commercialization of our products", said the minister of Economy.
According to SERNAPESCA data, illegal fishing has left a collapse situation of about 70 per cent of the resources of Chile. In addition, it is considered that after the trafficking of guns and drugs, it is the third most profitable business in the world.
With this initiative, the Chilean government seeks not only to contribute to the recovery of resources but also to support artisanal fishing, which is the main disadvantage of illegal fishing.
In this line, SERNAPESCA director said: "The origin of this project seems to be associated with consumption, to the development of Chilean cuisine, but from the point of view of SERNAPESCA the objective of this program has to do with developing fishery resource sustainability concept, but in a different way".
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