Sydney Fish Market and the Environment
Sydney Fish Market (SFM) is a vibrant and unique seafood marketplace that excels in the procurement and marketing of a wide range of sustainable seafood products. The operating environment is dominated by Sydney’s growing demand for quality seafood for health, lifestyle and business reasons, and by local and global concerns for the sustainability of seafood resources and of aquatic environments.
SFM, the largest seafood auction in the southern hemisphere, sells over 13,000 tonnes of seafood each year. SFM also manages the site, including the tenancy of wholesale and retail outlets and wharf facilities for the local fishing industry. In excess of 2 million visitors are attracted to the site and its activities each year.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Environmental legislation and regulations
SFM meets or exceeds all requirements of relevant environmental legislation and regulations.
Operations
SFM promotes the availability of, and trade in, quality seafood that comes from ecologically sustainable wild fisheries and environmental best practice aquaculture. It promotes and supports rigorous scientific research into the sustainability of fisheries, including partnering OceanWatch Australia (OWA) in its work with seafood suppliers to protect aquatic habitats and eliminate any undesirable environmental impacts of commercial fishing.
SFM ensures compliance with its environmental and sustainability principles by maintaining a best-practice through-chain traceability system which includes regular auditing of compliance with all components of that system.
SFM is actively seeking to minimise water run-off from the site and maximise the recycling of paper, plastics and fish waste.
Continuous improvement
SFM is dedicated to continuous improvement in the prevention of pollution and the environmental sustainability of all its activities. SFM works with industry bodies, governments, business partners and others to progress best practice environmental sustainability.
SFM actively promotes innovation in through-chain traceability as part of its commitment to product quality and to provide leadership to the seafood industry in quality assurance. Its commitment to accurate and adequate labeling of all products engenders confidence in both buyers and sellers.
Employees and the community
Through targeted training and communication programs, SFM ensures that all employees, tenants, contractors, suppliers including local fishermen and wholesale buyers understand the importance of incorporating environmental best practice into all appropriate business activities. All employees are encouraged to demonstrate commitment to supporting SFM’s environmental policy and initiatives, such as OWA and SeaNet.
OWA is a national non-profit company that works to achieve environmental sustainability in the Australian seafood industry through promoting the protection and enhancement of fish habitats, water quality and aquatic ecosystems generally. Its work is based on partnerships with the Australian seafood industry, governments, NGOs, private enterprise and the community.
OWA’s SeaNet programme works directly with the seafood catching sector to improve technologies and methods for reducing environmental impacts, such as unnecessary by-catch, and more generally encouraging environmental best practice.
SFM actively increases community understanding and acceptance of its sustainability principles and policies and the more general need for environmental responsibility by diligent use of all available media opportunities.
Download a PDF of our Environmental Policy >>