Marks and Spencer launch interactive sourcing map for wild and farmed fish

by
Editorial staff

The site shows customers where every type of fish or seafood it sells is caught or farmed in bid for more transparency. 

The retailers, M&S (Marks and Spencer), has released a detailed map that includes information on the capture or farming method and sustainability information for every single fishery or farm they use.

M&S’ own Lochmuir Smoked Salmon

Transparency
A total of 47 different species (every type M&S sells, including fish or shellfish used as an ingredient in products like sandwiches, salads and prepared meals) are plotted on the map as well as 71 fisheries and 29 different sourcing countries.

For farmed fish, the map shows the location of the farm by country and region, the farming method, M&S Select Farm status and whether the farm is third party certified.

For the UK, the map shows that M&S suppliers fish for 16 species in UK waters including herring, monkfish, plaice, lemon sole, haddock, brill, hake and mackerel. Four different fish are farmed in the UK: rainbow trout, blue mussels rock oysters and salmon.

Lochmuir is the retailers’ brand name for its Scottish salmon range.

Supply chain
Hannah Macintyre, M&S’ Marine Biologist, said: “We know how much our customers care about responsible fishing. We wanted to share with them all the data we have on where our fish comes from and how it is caught. Transparency is an important part of the trust that our customers and stakeholders put in us, that’s why we’ve published this smart tool which lays bare our whole fish supply chain, wherever it is in the world and however it is fished or farmed.”

M&S also works with WWF to risk assess its sourcing choices. Clarus Chu, WWF’s Seafood Manager, said: “All businesses need to take a responsible approach to seafood sourcing if we’re to protect and restore our precious oceans. It’s a great step for M&S to be increasing transparency in this way and showing how the fisheries they source from are improving.”

The site is part of the Interactive Supply Chain Map which also lists the locations of all the companies’ suppliers and factories such as cattle and dairy farmers and details where the wool comes from to make M&S products.

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