Singaporeans need to make better consumption choices as three out of four common fish species consumed here are not responsibly caught, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said on Tuesday (Oct 4).
Fish varieties like the Indian threadfin (commonly known as ngoh hur) used in fish porridge, silver pomfret and the yellowbanded scad (also known as ikan kuning) used in nasi lemak are among those which Singaporean consumers should stop eating, the conservation group said.
A new seafood guide launched by WWF lists these fish species and others commonly used in local dishes as “avoid”.
“Without collective and decisive action, these popular fish could disappear from Singapore’s menus within our lifetime,” it said.
Singaporeans are one of the biggest consumers of seafood in the world, with each person consuming about 22kg of seafood a year, compared to the global average of 20kg, the conservation group said.
“We are squandering one of our greatest natural resources by failing to manage our fish stocks sensibly,” said WWF-Singapore CEO Elaine Tan. “The seafood guide empowers everyone in the supply chain to make conscious choices that prevent the further exploitation of fish stocks.”
On Tuesday, WWF also launched the Responsible Seafood Group, consisting of organisations such as seafood supplier Global Ocean Link and luxury hotel Marina Bay Sands which have committed to responsible sourcing standards.
Marina Bay Sands’ Executive Director of Sustainability Kevin Teng said: “Since 2014, we have eliminated sharks fin from the restaurants we own and operate. At that time, we also started serving selected seafood sourced from suppliers that fish or farm responsibly, based on global seafood standards.”
Source: ChannelNewsAsia
