The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch has just upgraded trawl-caught Atlantic Cod from Iceland to a “Good Alternative” for consumers. The Seafood Watch, started by the Aquarium in 2000, empowers seafood consumers and businesses with information and data allowing them to make purchasing choices that will support healthy and sustainable oceans.

The ultimate result of these conclusions is that 900,000 out of 1.1 million tons of Atlantic Cod are recognized as a “Good Alternative”. These highly significant findings are a result of the work and cooperation of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Iceland, and committed efforts of major stakeholders such as Icelandic USA and ARAMARK.

After many years of observing the Icelandic Cod stock management practices in Icelandwaters, scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch team traveled to Icelandto establish a direct dialog with Icelandic institutes responsible for fisheries management in Iceland. 

After a thorough review of the facts, the Seafood Watch Science team concluded that trawl-caught Atlantic Cod from Iceland, the Barents Sea, and the Eastern Baltic Seawould meet the Seafood Watch criteria for a buying recommendation upgrade to “Good Alternative” in their consumer guides.

“Iceland is a leader in fishery management and has been very active at the local and regional level and globally within the United Nations and FAO helping other nations better understanding their fisheries management,” says Hlynur Gudjonsson, consul and trade commissioner for North America at the Consulate General of Iceland in New York. “The New York office has been working on establishing a dialogue with organizations such as Monterey Bay Aquarium with the help of companies like Icelandic USA, Inc.

“The task has been to educate and communicate the facts behind sustainability and our fishery management system and build bridges between stakeholders. Decisions like this one are not arbitrary; they are based on science, and the Marine Research Institute in Iceland and Monterey Bay Aquarium understand this better than most,” Gudjonsson says.

“Icelandic USA has been, and will continue to be, a leader in the support of sustainable fisheries. We’re proud to have played a role in collaborating with stakeholders in Iceland, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and ARAMARK in upgrading The Seafood Watch rating of trawl-caught Atlantic Cod,” says Chuck Spencer, national account manager and global sustainability specialist for Icelandic USA. “Our vision is to secure healthy marine and freshwater resources to provide high-quality nutritious food for today’s consumers and future generations.”