Sealord in conjunction with sustainable seafood advocate and chef, Tom Kime of Fish & Co hosted an industry event last week which promoted the use of sustainably caught hoki fish.
Hoki which is a deep sea species is typically found at depths of up to 800m, making traditional trawling methods highly unsustainable due to the high volumes of by-catch that are caught during the process.
In order to combat the issue, Sealord embarked on the development of a world-first in sustainable seafood harvesting; Precision Seafood Technology. Precision Seafood Technology is a commercial fishing technique that significantly reduces the amount of by-catch, while also heavily reducing the stress levels of fish during the fishing process.
Although still in its preliminary stages, Precision Seafood Technology is the culmination of years of research and a $26m investment by Sealord and other fishing companies including, Aotearoa Fisheries, Sanford together with matching funds from the New Zealand government.
Precision Seafood Technology utilises a large tube-shaped, flexible PVC liner which allows fish to be contained comfortably underwater. The system allows fishing vessels to target specific species and fish size, while allowing smaller fish and non-target or by-catch fish, to easily swim out through ‘escape portals’.
“Precision Seafood Technology will revolutionise how fish is caught, enabling it to be brought to market in the most pristine and freshest form possible – essentially like you had caught it yourself,” said Jason Plato, general manager of Sealord Consumer.
Patrick Caleo, Marine Stewardship Council country manager for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific echoed Plato’s points stating that Sealord has demonstrated a commitment to the highest standards in seafood sustainability.
“Sealord’s New Zealand Hoki fishery continues to meet the world’s most credible standard for sustainability, being certified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard three times, through their commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and effective management. We look forward to viewing the results of the first independent assessment using this new technology.”
As a long standing advocate of sustainable seafood, Tom Kime recently embarked on a fishing trip with Sealord to catch hoki using the new Precision Seafood Technology.
“As a chef I have always been interested in provenance and where my food comes from,” said Kime.
“My role is to inspire people with my love of seafood and passion for ensuring it’s provided in a sustainable way.”
The Precision Seafood Technology can be viewed via the link below:
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