Johnson, the founder of the Monterey Fish Market, with stores in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif., dedicated himself right there to fighting overfishing in his purchasing and sales policies.
Around that time, others also began realizing the oceans were in trouble, and several campaigns emerged that urged consumers to choose their fish responsibly. Most visible were the popular wallet cards that list stressed species and recommend certain purchases.
But critics say the efforts have not tangibly affected consumption of troubled species. The movement is now taking a broader approach that considers the way fish habitats are managed, how the fish are caught, and even who is catching them.
Amid reports like one published last year in the journal Science forecasting that the oceans will run out of seafood by 2048, here's the good news: Ordinary consumers can still make a difference.
The new labeling
The Marine Stewardship Council, a London-based conservation group that certifies sustainable fisheries and suppliers, began offering a label in 2000 that lets consumers know the fish they are buying comes from a responsible source.
The Marine Stewardship Council, a London-based conservation group that certifies sustainable fisheries and suppliers, began offering a label in 2000 that lets consumers know the fish they are buying comes from a responsible source.
Since then, use of the label - a blue oval with a white fish sketch - has exploded, growing from 500 products to more than 800 worldwide, with 120 in the United States. The label guarantees that the fish comes from stocks that are healthy and plentiful and was caught with minimal impact on the environment in a well-managed habitat.
Each labeled fish is fully traceable to the person or company that caught it. Before a store is allowed to sell fish with the label, it must prove to the stewardship council that it can properly manage the product and keep it separate from fish that have not met the same standards.
