Sitting in a restaurant over the weekend, the waiter informed us that the "fish of the day" was kabeljou. Nothing unusual, as kabeljou is probably the first choice of many South African restaurants and palates alike.
The surprise came when someone at the table whipped out his cellphone and within minutes explained that kabeljou was listed in the orange category, meaning the kabeljou species may be legally sold by registered commercial fishers and retailers, but an increased demand for the species could compromise a sustainable supply. What was more surprising was the response from the table.
Some felt we should be ordering it before it was no longer available and others, like the person who used the Sassi FishMS line, were adamant that it was unacceptable to even consider ordering the fish and that our duty as consumers was to let the establishment know on what grounds we were not going to order the kabeljou.
Just over a year old, the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (Sassi), a project from WWF South Africa, aims to help consumers to make the right fish choices in order to sustain the oceans.
Recently, the realisation and recognition of food resources has been stirred in consumers, yet the same kind of cognisance has not been given to the food from the sea, and many species of fish have become overexploited.
Sassi was initiated in order to inform and educate all participants in the seafood trade - from wholesalers to restaurateurs to consumers.
The greatest direct impact we have on the seas is through our choices of seafood and the poor awareness of marine conservation issues.
With initiatives like these it is often quite complicated for the consumer to become involved, but this is where Sassi is clever.
They have compiled a species list - easily accessible on their website - which lists species in three colour categories: green, orange and red, much like a traffic light.
Species on the green list can be eaten with a clear conscience because their population numbers are healthy.
Orange means they are legal to sell, but if you have a choice you should opt for one of the green species. The red species are illegal to buy or sell in South Africa.
Added to this initiative is Sassi FishMS, which gives you this information by SMS. Simply text the name of a fish you are unsure of in a supermarket, fish shop or restaurant to 079-499-8795 and you will immediately receive a message telling you whether to proceed, think twice or avoid completely.
Although an excellent initiative, at point of purchase it is really difficult for the consumer to know what species they are buying. For many, a fillet of fish is simply a piece of fish.
National project co-ordinator Jaco Barendse says consumers are often left at the mercy of the retailers in terms of naming and misnaming, and that Sassi is currently working with a number of retailers to look at their procurement policies regarding the species they sell.
"Often the misnaming is a result of a perceived resistance among consumers to try new things, thus the business thinks they only want kingklip, so they only serve kingklip (even when it's not)," he says.
More recently, Pick 'n Pay has partnered the initiative as a major sponsor, and the association means that Sassi will assist the retailer in order to improve the sustainability of seafood procurement, and will assist with staff training and better point-of-sale information for consumers.
Barendse is hoping to involve a number of other retailers in the initiative.
The bigger picture is the challenges of illegal fishing and sales by recreational fishers and the increasing pressure on existing resources.
Barendse says that, through education, consumers can be empowered to make informed seafood choices, and it's these choices that can make a difference.
We share a trio of fish ideas using seafood that falls into the green category, meaning that these are species from a relatively healthy and a well-managed population as listed on the Sassi Consumer Seafood pocket guide.
- For more information, go to the Sassi website at www.wwf.org.za/sassi or text the SASSI FishMS number on 079-499-8795.