Surf Coast restaurants have put sustainable seafood on menus nationally after piloting a program to save Australia’s fish stocks.
The Australian-first Good Fish Project required a commitment from participating venues to “source and serve more sustainable seafood,” said Surf Coast Shire.
The pilot featured a Good Fish Fridays initiative for restaurants to highly sustainable seafood weekly, the shire said.
The project would go national after project partner Australian Marine Conservation Society (SCMS) announced at a pilot wrap-up celebration on Wednesday that it had secured funding for a part-timer to operate the project around Australia.
“The pilot project was successful because of the dedication of local restaurants and chefs, who contributed to a more sustainable future for our local seafood industry and helped protect ocean wildlife,” said Surf Coast Mayor David Bell.
“The wrap-up event was an opportunity to thank locals for their involvement, and to deliver the good news that the Good Fish Project will be expanding.”
ACMS’s Tooni Mahto praised Surf Coast for being first to “road test” the Good Fish Project.
“Getting the buy-in from council, Surf Coast restaurants and the local community has been invaluable in ensuring the Good Fish Project works for both restaurants and the public, and can help drive lasting change in Australia’s fisheries.
“AMCS now feels confident the program is ready for national roll out, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the council and local restaurants over the coming years.”
