Major Chain Moves to Sell Only Wild Salmon

Major Chain Moves to Sell Only Wild Salmon

Date: 02.02.2010 | Category: News Feed

by FarmPlate

Target will no longer sell farm-raised salmon in any of its stores nationwide. Instead of sourcing from salmon farms, Target will stock only Alaskan, wild-caught salmon in its fresh, frozen and smoked seafood sections. The company cited environmental reasons behind the decision, which was announced last week.

Target consulted conservationists with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch to determine how to make their seafood offerings more environmentally conscious. Farmed salmon, Target argues, can increase pollution, chemicals and parasites and hurt native salmon in surrounding areas.

Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, said “Target’s decision to source sustainable wild-caught salmon, instead of farmed, will have a real impact in the marketplace — and ultimately, on the health of our oceans.” Seafood Watch rates wild-caught salmon a “Best Choice.”

The changes will extend to Target’s own brands, Archer Farms and Market Pantry, which will now sell only wild salmon. Target expects to have phased all farmed salmon products out of its stores by the end of 2010. Greg Duppler, senior vice president of marketing for Target noted, “Our guests now have an array of sustainable seafood choices at great prices.”

Whole Foods isn’t joining Target in the farmed salmon ban. Last week Whole Foods launched a new label to alert shoppers that their seafood—including farmed salmon—meets the company’s “responsibly farmed” criteria.

Whole Foods believes “Farming seafood can provide a consistent, high-quality, year-round supply of healthy and delicious protein. And when it’s done right, aquaculture can be environmentally friendly and can be a crucial way to supplement wild-caught fish supplies.”

Seafood labeled as “responsibly farmed” shows consumers that the fish meets Whole Foods’ Quality Standards for Aquaculture, which were created by working with scientists and environmentalists and are third-party verified.

Whole Foods farmed salmon is not genetically modified, has not been fed any antibiotics and is free from added preservatives such as sodium bisulfite, sodium tri-polyphosphate and sodium metabisulfite. Whole Foods requires “producers to minimize the impacts of fish farming on the environment by protecting sensitive habitats such as mangrove forests and wetlands, monitoring water quality to prevent pollution and sourcing feed ingredients responsibly.” Seafood Watch gives all farmed salmon and Atlantic salmon an “Avoid” rating.

For more information on choosing environmentally sound seafood, refer to FarmPlate’s blog “Navigating Sustainable Seafood” written by chef Sean Buchanan of Solstice at Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Lodge.

More National News

Feb. 1: The Obama administration has proposed a 6 percent increase in the budget for the FDA. The additional money would be spent on improving food safety. Washington Post

Feb. 1: Obama asked Congress to cut subsidies for “wealthy” farmers that have sales of more than $500,000 per year. Reuters

Jan. 29: The American Farm Bureau is urging Congress to expedite the passage of trade agreements that will increase U.S. exports. American Farm Bureau

Regional News

Feb. 1: A new, temporary free ferry is up and running between Crown Point, New York, and Addison, Vermont, to compensate for the loss of the Champlain Bridge. Vermont Business Magazine

Feb. 1: Vermont is considering implementing a boiler buyback program to encourage the reduction of air pollution. Burlington Free Press

Jan. 30: USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is coming to Vermont in February to attend a town dairy meeting and NOFA Vermont’s annual conference. WPTZ

Jan. 30: USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan visited the University of New Hampshire to promote the “Know Your Farmer Know Your Food” initiative. Foster’s Daily Democrat

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Tags: Addison,antibiotics,Aquaculture,Archer Farms,budget,Crown Point,farm-raised,farmers,FDA,ferry,Greg Duppler,Julie Packard,Kathleen Merrigan,Market Pantry,Monterey Bay Aquarium,Obama,polution,salmon,seafood,Seafood Watch,subsidies,sustainable,Target,Tom Vilsack,USDA,Vermont,Whole Foods,wild-caught

2 Responses to “Major Chain Moves to Sell Only Wild Salmon”

Jake 02/02/10 17:05

(I applaud Whole Foods, as this is the first long term environmental strategy decision by a food supplier. They realize the stress on the endangered Salmon species it would be by providing only wild Salmon to consumers. This is a decision based on both environmental and economic factors to provide the consumers with a year round fresh supply of Salmon. Not to mention, choice! Eating ‘responsible’ and sustainable seafood is the real issue at hand. I vote salmon over burgers and fries!

As for Target, Target is jumping on the green bandwagon for some cheap PR. Has anyone questioned Target’s consideration of a long-term strategy towards sustainable salmon supplies? Billion dollar conglomerates cannot be allowed to make unfounded policy decisions over an endangered species. It’s ridiculous to think that wild salmon stocks will not be over fished, as demand increases at 9% p.a. Salmon stock levels with not be sustainable without well managed farming being integrated into a long term strategy. When is the last time you saw a wild cow, chicken or pig?

Unfortunately, the environmentalists leading the publicity of this campaign forgot to think about both Biology & Economics. They are naïve to think that Target is doing this for the environment. We are naïve to blindly follow any environmentalists that have not thought about the economics behind this decision. STOP! Go back it’s a trap!

Please stop the internal bickering between Wild vs Farmed Salmon and consider why Target would become so environmentally friendly all of a sudden. There are many more actions that Target could be pursuing that would have a much more dramatic and direct environmental impact.)
Kim Werner 02/03/10 14:40

It’s a big step (and great PR) for big-box stores to take a stance on environmental and food politics issues. It spreads awareness that there are many issues to be considered when it comes to making purchasing decisions. As you point out “Choice” is key, and making informed decisions starts with putting as much information as possible into the the hands of the consumer. Let’s hope that’s part of Target’s strategy too.

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