Loblaw Removes 'At Risk' Fish From Seafood Departments

BRAMPTON, Ontario — As part of its long-term plan to ultimately source all seafood sold in its stores from sustainable fisheries by 2013, Loblaw Cos. Thursday removed all fish that the company has identified as “at risk” from select corporate stores throughout Canada.

Rather than immediately replacing the fish that were removed, Loblaw’s seafood departments left empty trays in their seafood counters, creating a visual message to help educate customers about sustainable seafood choices. The company has said it will fill the trays once viable sustainable replacements are found.

"As Canada's largest buyer and seller of seafood, Loblaw has taken a hard look at the challenges facing the world's oceans and what it means to us," Paul Uys, vice president of fresh foods for Loblaw, said in a release. "We believe it's critical that Canadians understand this important issue, and the changes at our fresh seafood counters are among the first steps we have taken to educate customers as to why Loblaw is committed to sourcing all seafood sold in our stores from sustainable sources."

Loblaw has been working with partners including the World Wildlife Fund, the Marine Stewardship Council and conservation experts to plan its sustainable seafood program.

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