Media Blog

Greenpeace has reached a new low.

This time in the face of well-researched science and independent government assessments that say "Alaska pollock population levels are high, and no overfishing is occurring" the extremist group has chosen to air TV ads in Seattle and Anchorage disparaging Alaska pollock.

Next week Greenpeace will reveal its new seafood sustainability retailer rankings that will undoubtedly be followed by direct action against grocery stores that it deems "out of compliance" with its arbitrary and contradictory sustainability guidelines. And by direct action I mean vandalism, like it did in Canada last month-a publicity stunt that didn't land Greenpeace too many headlines but did land its foot soldiers in jail.

In its latest press release The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) announces breathlessly that "Fish & Shellfish Top CSPI Outbreak List." But it's the words inside the 23 page report that expose that pronouncement as yet another seafood scare story that doesn't hold up when challenged.

Like an early Christmas present Greenpeace has announced it will release its revised retailer rankings on December 9th.  And it says there's "more good news to report this time around." Well of course there is. Greenpeace tried the doom-n-gloom approach with its last retailer ranking list and that went over like a lead balloon, so now it's back with a much sunnier disposition. But let's not be fool. Greenpeace will merely use this re-launch of its failed summer campaign to take credit for things it had no role in.

You might remember about a month ago Reuters published a poorly sourced article filled with inaccuracies about Alaska pollock that was based on an erroneous Greenpeace press release.  Of course we called Reuters on this issue and as it turns out so did the At-Sea Processors Association and the Genuine Alaska Pollock producers. Objectivity and accuracy in reporting about seafood is a concern shared by the entire seafood community.

The Bluefin tuna stock in the Mediterranean is not in good shape and those responsible for managing it have done a poor job. The Bluefin is a majestic fish that is the gold standard for sushi in Japan and its sustainability story is currently a sad one. Something needs to be done.

But is that something dumping five tons of fish heads in front of the agriculture ministry building in Paris? Well... Greenpeace thinks so.

The environmental lobbying group Oceana has unfortunately turned to misinformation in an attempt to distract from the fact that responsible food communicators and registered dietitians have produced a well-researched piece of nutrition communication on pregnancy and seafood. Oceana's efforts are designed to decrease fish consumption and not improve public health. The science-based pregnancy and seafood flyer is an effort to get the latest ground truth science, including FDA advice as well as conclusions from more recently published independent studies, into the hands of targeted consumers.

According to the Today Show and Health Magazine Publix grocery stores are among the top ten healthiest in the country.

Last week Carrie Taylor, a registered dietitian, wrote a column in The Republican where she set out to help parents who are “completely confused” when it comes to feeding their kids seafood.

A quick review of the Safe Harbor Certified Seafood Web site reveals an attack on canned tuna that employs overt exaggeration and misinformation.

It begs the question-how low is Safe Harbor willing to go to push its product? It's a product that is marketed as one designed to help protect consumers, but is apparently being promoted with half truths and innuendo rather than ground truth science and fact.