Living in this Province is to be aware of the sea wherever we go. Go round the corner on the school run and it is laid out before you, a different colour every day as the seasons change.
Coming from a huge City, it is one of the most amazing things about living on the Ridge for me. I love the fact that a walk on the beach is a daily possibility. Sand between your toes and sitting watching the waves is a pleasure that all of us can enjoy.
The problem with the Indian Ocean, or seas in general is their vastness. There seems to be a never ending amount of water containing a never ending amount of fish, but the reality is that we have depleted out fish stocks to the tipping point of total loss of a great number of species.
When we are in danger of losing a rhino species it is there for us all to see and we can act accordingly, but species can disappear below the waves with much less impact. South Africa is doing incredible things to counteract this trend, and are at the forefront of research into making alternatives to fish meal, which is where two thirds of the Ocean catch goes.
When you buy fish, look for the MSC sign on the hake or fishfingers you are putting in your basket. Woolworths have labelled all their fish with the little blue label and many other supermarkets are now getting on board. When you go to a restaurant ask them if the fish they are selling is sustainable, even if it isn’t yet, the more people who ask the quicker it will be.
MSC, or the Marine Stewardship Council monitors fisheries and sets standards for sustainable fishing. They are considered the gold standard for fish labelling and work alongside SASSI.
The oceans belong to each and every one of us, and to our children. For their sake next time you think about the rhino poaching, try and imagine a world with out whales, where plankton cannot sustain marine life and where sea birds disappear. Cut down on your use of plastic and look for that little blue label, before it’s too late.
