The Bay Islands Responsible Seafood Guide-

The Bay Islands Responsible Seafood Guide is here!   

To help protect Utila’s local fish populations, its coral reefs, and to promote responsible seafood consumption,  The Bay Islands Responsible Seafood Guide is now available!  

The Bay Islands Responsible Seafood Guide is designed to provide information to restaurants, retailers and consumers about responsible and sustainable seafood choices. The program is aimed at steering people away from species that are already over exploited or endangered by providing alternative best choices.  If you are anywhere around the Bay Islands, please follow the suggestions provide in the guide…and enjoy your seafood responsibly.  

To help raise awareness and implement the choices in guide, workshops will be held at various stores and restaurants on the island of Utila.  The first 4 have already been done at “The Island Cafe”, Jana’s Grill, “The Carniceria” and “La Picola Italian Restaurant”, who are now all supporters of the effort. 

What YOU Can Do:  Take a look at the guide, especially the “avoid eating” list. Even better, if you are dining at a local Utila restaurant that is serving one of the species listed on the “avoid eating” list- let them know that its on the list (they may not know), and that you care and are aware.  If more customers do this, they will eventually stop serving the fish. 

Who Made These Guides? These sustainable seafood guides were developed international and local partnerships; the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL),  through their partners in the Bay Islands of Honduras:  written and designed by Andrzej Narozanski (Utila Centre for Marine Ecology) and co-produced by Grazzia Matamoras (Roatan Marine Park). Funding was awarded by The CORAL Reef Alliance , The MAREA Fund, and additional partners.  

A Bit of Background on the need for Responsible Seafood Choices, as quoted from CORAL’s Website: 

“With global fish stocks in decline, scientists estimate that nearly seventy-five percent of the world’s fisheries are fished to capacity or overfished. In Mesoamerica, populations of fish species such as the goliath grouper and Nassau grouper have collapsed, and other commercially important species like the Caribbean spiny lobster and queen conch are at risk. 

As fishery stocks deteriorate and collapse, coral reef ecosystems are put in jeopardy, too. Numerous species that humans target for food also play critical roles in maintaining the ecosystem balance on coral reefs. For example, herbivores like parrotfish regulate the competitive relationship between algae and corals. When too many herbivores are removed, algae begin to overtake corals, depriving them of essential sunlight and causing their decline. 

In order to protect coral reefs and promote responsible seafood consumption, our local conservation partners in Cozumel, Mexico, and the Bay Islands of Honduras have developed sustainable seafood guides tailored to their specific regions. Each guide uses a simple system to identify species that are safe for consumption, species that warrant additional cautions or considerations, and those to avoid altogether. 

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD? 

For a species to qualify as “sustainable,” it must be caught in a way that considers the long-term viability of the harvested population and the general health of the ocean. In a sustainable fishery, fish species must be: 

• Taken from a healthy population 

• Caught using methods that do not harm marine life or the environment 

• Caught using methods that do not harm fishermen 

• From fishermen or fisheries that are environmentally aware and responsibly managed 

• Caught using bait that does not have any negative impact on the environment 

These seafood guides are intended for a wide range of audiences, including individual consumers, restaurant buyers, and commercial fish suppliers. CORAL is working in both countries to ensure that key members of the seafood industry know about the guides and how to use them. 

In Honduras, the CORAL Reef Leadership Network (CRLN) will conduct a targeted educational campaign that will train the owners, management, and staff of Bay Islands restaurants on how to sustainably buy, sell, and consume seafood products. Trainings will highlight the importance of considering seasonality, length restrictions, and capture methods when determining which species to purchase. Participating restaurants will receive an educational poster to display for concerned customers and to indicate their participation in the program. The CRLN will also train local fishermen on the latest fishery laws and the consequences of unsustainable fishing practices. 

If you’re traveling to the Bay Islands or Cozumel, please help us spread awareness by asking about the guide before purchasing seafood.” 

So take a look at the easy to read chart above (and even easier one below), and spend a few minutes so you can make responsible seafood choices while on Utila and the Bay Islands.

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For More Information on the Bay Islands Responsible Seafood Guide, click on the images, or Contact:

Roatan Marine Park 

• Web: www. RoatanMarinePark.com
• email: info@roatanmarinepark.net

OR 

Andrzej Narozanski, Utila Centre for Marine Ecology

• Email: info@UtilaEcology.org

For more information on the island of Utila, see www.UtilaGuide.com

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