The Costco Connection - February 2018

Norwegian Seafood Council.
This plan includes a discard ban
to avoid high grading of the
catches, which leads to discard-
ing small or unwanted fish, says
Kyrre Dale of the Norwegian
Seafood Federation. “Fisher-
men have to land and report
every single fish they catch,”
Dale explains. “This secures
that all fish is caught, reported
and traded fairly.”
The sources of this Atlantic
cod have been certified by the
Marine Stewardship Council
(see sidebar at right).

Alaskan halibut

The mild, slightly sweet flavor and firm texture of wild Alaska halibut has made this white fish one of the most popular among consumers. Like cod, halibut happily satisfies in tacos, soups and salads and as a baked or grilled main dish. One ;-ounce piece of halibut provides ;; grams of protein and just ;.; ounces of fat.

Halibut is closely monitored by the state of Alaska as well as a number of governmental agencies and organizations, including the International Pacific Halibut Commission, which is responsible for assessing the status of the stocks and setting harvest strategies and catch limits that provide for optimum yield. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service also play roles in managing the halibut fishery.

Mahi-mahi

Grilled, baked or sautéed, the flavor-packed center-cut portions of Kirkland Signature frozen mahi-mahi, sourced from Taiwan and the South Pacific waters off Ecuador and Peru, are a treat—and one with health benefits. One ;-ounce portion has just ;; calories and ; gram of fat, but provides ;; grams of protein. Ceviche and enchiladas are among the dozens of interesting ways to enjoy mahi-mahi.

“The Peruvian mahi-mahi fishery is under a Fishery Improvement Project [FIP] watch coordinated by the Institute of the Sea of Peru with the help of the World Wildlife Fund,” says Laura Garrido, a supplier of Kirkland Signature frozen mahi-mahi. “Together with Costco, we partici-

AL A SK A S E AF O OD M AR KE TI N G I NS TI T U TE

pate in the FIP as stakeholders to protect
the species.”
Garrido explains that protection of the
mahi-mahi fishery is assured through a
very short catch season (giving the small
fish that stay in the area time to mature
and reproduce): “Hook-and-line-caught is
the only method of fishing, and the bait
used—a local fish—is only attractive to
mahi-mahi, so other species are rarely
caught. In addition, the Peruvian govern-
ment monitors the fish once it arrives to
port, where catches are reported, and
again in the production facilities by fisher-
ies’ inspectors. Failure to comply with the
legislation results in heavy fines for fisher-
men and producers. Upon arrival to the
processing facilities in Peru, each fish is
monitored for [compliance with size regu-
lations] and freshness. We do not accept
fish from suppliers that do not comply
with size regulations.”

Chilean sea bass

Chilean sea bass, also known as Patagonian toothfish, is caught in southern ocean waters near Antarctica. At ;; grams of fat per ;-ounce fillet, sea bass has a different makeup than its flaky white fish counterparts. “The rich, moist and tender profile of the sea bass just melts in your mouth,” Bui says.

Costco has committed to source only Chilean sea bass from select Marine Marine Stewardship Council

Costco’s sustainable fishing standards

TO KEEP fish available for generations to come, Costco buyers follow two main decrees as they source seafood. These principles are listed in the company’s sustainable fisheries policy:

• To continually source sustainable seafood products from either wild fisheries or farmed aquaculture in ways that meet current demands without compromising the availability of scarce resources for future generations.

• To consider these factors when sourcing seafood: the condition of fish stocks (biomass); the protection of and respect for the marine ecosystem; governmental and regulatory agency guidelines; and practices that will mitigate or limit environmental impacts associated with aquaculture and fishing practices.

As science and industry evolve, we will continue to refine these global policies.

“We will not sell certain species of
wild fish if we have found that they are at
great risk,” says Kim Bui, Costco frozen
foods buyer. “Unless our sources are cer-
tified by the Marine Stewardship Council,
we will not fish for that species type.”
(For Costco’s full sustainable fishing
policy and projects, visit Costco.com/
sustainability-fisheries.html. For more
information on the Marine Stewardship
Council, visit msc.

org).—LB

increase in pricing in recent years on legal MSC-certified sea bass,” Bui adds.

I think that ;;;; is going to be my best year ever—and hey, with all of the omega-;s and healthy fats I will be consuming, thanks to the wide variety of Kirkland Signature frozen fish, I will surely have a healthy glow. C