As Australians dug into an estimated 12,150 tonnes of prawns this festive season, the latest figures from YouGov reveal that only 1 in 4 Australians believe that Aussie wild-caught prawns will be readily available at Christmas 20 years from now.
Among those who don’t believe wild-caught prawns will be readily available to eat at Christmas in 20 years’ time, the main reasons include overfishing (57%), climate change (54%) and pollution (50%) with fears that the iconic tradition of prawns at Christmas will become too expensive (42%) and that we’ll rely on imported farmed options (30%).
Education about the improvements being made by fisheries is key to reassuring the public, says Anne Gabriel at the Marine Stewardship Council:
"More than two-thirds of Aussie wild-caught prawns are certified to the MSC’s global standard for sustainable fishing. These fisheries are demonstrating continuous improvements in stock health, ecosystem impacts and responsible management meaning they’re well-placed for climate impacts.
"For instance, research by the Northern Prawn Fishery, Charles Darwin University and CSIRO has shown a 17% reduction in sea snake interactions since the adoption of the Tom's Fisheye, a bycatch reduction device that's integrated into trawl nets to reduce the capture of unwanted fish.”
The Marine Stewardship Council believes environmental concerns are increasingly part of the drive toward us adopting healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.
According to research consultancy GlobeScan, Australians who are eating more fish are typically eating less red meat and poultry and those eating less fish are eating more vegetables.
These diet shifts are being driven by health (62%), saving money (48%), eating better quality food (39%) and environmental reasons (35%) such as eating food from a more sustainable source, protecting the environment, reducing climate change impacts and protecting the ocean.
With average seafood consumption lagging behind the recommended two portions per week, PhD qualified Nutrition Scientist and Dietitian, Dr Joanna McMillan emphasises that wild-caught sustainable prawns are an easy and affordable option that can help us maintain a healthy diet during the summer, while also looking after our ocean.
"Wild-caught prawns are high in protein, low in saturated fat and just 50 grams provide the recommended daily intake of Omega-3 fats. They also provide an array of essential nutrients including iron and zinc, key for an optimal immune system, and iodine, often forgotten about yet crucial for brain function and metabolism.
"Include prawns on your Summer menu from barbeques to quick midweek dinners. Be sure to look for the blue fish tick for sustainably sourced options.”
Try this Guy Turland recipe for prawn cutlets and sweet chilli sauce.
Shoppers looking for sustainable prawns this Summer are being advised to look for the MSC blue fish tick label at Coles and Woolworths.
