Dorset campaign for better sea and food

Dorset Wildlife Trust has launched a Great Dorset Seafood campaign to encourage people to consume seafood in a more environmentally friendly way.

This campaign aims to help customers to make right choices when buying seafood, working with retailors to source out the seafood in a more responsible way and providing information on marine species caught in Dorset.

Emma Rance, the marine conservation officer of Dorset Wildlife Trust said: “We believe the power of consumers’ purchases can drive the change. We try to promote fishing methods which are more selective and less damaging to the sea bed.” ‘A more selective way’ means the methods of capture will target species and take very little accidental capture.

When asked if the campaign will affect the business by discouraging people consuming certain seafood, Mr Wickham said: “No. I think people will buy what they want to buy anyway.”

According to the trusts ‘seasearch‘, numbers of seafood like clams are being threatened by unlicensed and unregulated fishers in Poole Harbour. Commercial fishing has been identified as one of the most significant pressures on the oceans.

Julie Taylor, a regular seafood consumer in Bournemouth, said: “To be honest, when I buy seafood, I seldom think about the impact on the ocean. This campaign is full of good intention although I don’t know whether I will follow the guide all the time.”

Interview with Emma Rance

Picture: Emma Rance, Dorset Wildlife Trust

The campaign is still on its early stage and a big part of it is to raise people’s awareness; more events such as fishmonger demonstrations will come in July.