THE red stumpnose or Miss Lucy is among fish species red-listed by the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative that are being served in restaurants. THE red stumpnose or Miss Lucy is among fish species red-listed by the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative that are being served in restaurants.
The World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) urged the public to scrutinise seafood menus closely to ensure they were not being served fish red-listed by the WWF’s Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (Sassi).
Fish species on the Sassi red list should be avoided by diners at all costs, as they are facing extinction because of overexploitation.
The red list is compiled after an in-depth review of all available data on the conservation status of species.
WWF-SA has highlighted the plight of the red stumpnose, a slow-growing, sedentary species of fish endemic to the coastline between Cape Point and East London. The species tends to remain at specific locations on this stretch of coastline, making it particularly vulnerable to extinction.
The threatened species - also known as Miss Lucy - is being served at high-end restaurants, the WWF said.
The red stumpnose was already “commercially extinct” in places like False Bay, and now formed a very small component of linefish catches, highlighting its scarcity.
There was no effective management plan in place to counter the threat to the iconic species.
The WWF said the red stumpnose should never be served in a restaurant, no matter where it was caught.
“Small actions by consumers and chefs can have far-reaching and lasting consequences, given all the pressures on our ocean resources.
“By making sustainable choices
we have the power to determine whether we have seafood on our plates and in our oceans now and into the future.
“Our oceans literally breathe life into our planet but will only continue to do so if we protect them and use our resources sustainably.
“Every species in the sea has a role to play in a healthy, functioning ecosystem and every fish matters, especially the ones that are on your plate,” Sassi programme manager at WWF SA, Pavitray Pillay said.
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