Effing Wild Sustainability Standard

The Effing Wild Sustainability Standard (EWSS)

Effing Rob grew up in a commercial fishing family, went to school for Fisheries and Aquaculture and was a shellfish farmer for eleven years. Effing Seafoods wants to support WILD fisheries as much as possible but to ensure a steady supply we do offer some FARMED SEAFOOD. Wild fisheries can be difficult to gain a steady and consistent supply with so many factors like weather, logistics and seasons. Many fisheries are set up with set dates for opening and closing each year for many reasons including spawning cycles of that species, TAC (Total Allowable Catch) and structures of fisheries management systems. BC Spot Prawns are a great example that Rob is very familiar with after fishing in that commercial fishery several times over his adult life. The season opens after the “mating season” and the females have laid their eggs. Also, the fishery is very closely monitored by “observers” to ensure the volume caught is closely monitored. This fishery is also by trap which makes it very sustainable because they are able to target very specific species based on the parameters of the trap.

When it comes to measures of sustainable fishing we want to be a leader and have our own measure of Effing Sustainability. When Rob was in the Fisheries and Aquaculture program at VIU (Formerly Malaspina University-College) he learned about Fisheries Management and how decisions are made to open and close fisheries. He also learned about seafood aquaculture techniques that are both