Letter in response to 'Fishmeal industry causing devastating effects in Peru, charity says'

Letter to the Editor, Undercurrent News.

Ref “Video - Fishmeal industry causing ‘devastating’ effects in Peru, charity says” online 15th December 2014.

Dear Sir/Madam,

While I am sure many viewers would be concerned about the images used in the video released by Compassion in World Farming, it overlooks some key factors that I would like to address.  The video does not name the location but it is presumably filmed in Chimbote, the main port for fishmeal production in Peru. If this is indeed the location, then there are a number of factors of which the viewers are not made aware. 

While there are many problems associated with a lack of regulation and enforcement, the more responsible elements of the private sector, including IFFO’s members, committed in 2011 to work with the government to reduce emissions and effluents following a previous successful private sector project in Pisco. After investing some US$8m in effluent treatment and discharge facilities, mainly funded by local IFFO fishmeal producers, the project was completed this year and the industry is now awaiting government authorisation to begin treating effluents. If the experience in Pisco is repeated, this will rapidly lead to an improvement in the local environment.

The problem of emissions is more complex and blame is unfairly allocated to the fishmeal industry. Chimbote is heavily industrialised area, where industries include metal smelting, and an independent report, also released in 2014 by Ethical Trading Initiative Norway (IEH), concluded that:

‘less than 25% of these aggregate emissions are attributable to the fishmeal and oil industry, which has undertaken commendable efforts in tackling Particulate Matter and Hydrogen Sulphide’.

Images of children with skin diseases are very emotive but there is no evidence that fishmeal “fumes” can cause irritation. A government report in 2011 into respiratory diseases in children concluded that the Chimbote region (Ancash) was in the lowest 10% (22nd of 28) of all regions in Peru. Many thousands of local adult employees are in direct contact with fishmeal every day and widespread irritation would soon become apparent.

Similarly, the claim that the seabird populations have declined as a result of fishmeal production is also unsupported. The main fish stock used for fishmeal production, Peruvian Anchoveta, fluctuates significantly due to ecosystem changes and in 2013 it was estimated at around 12million tonnes, making it the largest fishery in the world. The management of the fishery carefully controlled quotas and is recognised as world class. This is being demonstrated at the moment, with the fishery currently being closed to protect a high percentage of juveniles detected in the population.

Furthermore,  fishmeal is no longer being used in modern land based livestock farming, with the exception of a specialised diet to wean piglets onto solid food, and over 40% of the worlds’ fishmeal production now comes from factories independently certified against a standard set by NGO’s and industry stakeholders for responsible production.

While we welcome charities to raise awareness of social and environmental concerns, it is unfortunate that CIWF chooses to feature only negative images and neglect to mention the progress that is already being made as this does little to incentivise further change. 

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Mallison

Director General

 

-Ends -

Please contact: Georgie Harris, Communications and Membership Manager

T: +44 (0) 2030 539 195

E: gharris@iffo.net

 

Notes for Editors

1. IFFO represents the marine ingredients industry worldwide. IFFO’s members reside in more than 60 countries, account for over 50% of world production and 75% of the fishmeal and fish oil traded worldwide. Approximately 5 million tonnes of fishmeal are produced each year globally, together with 1 million tonnes of fish oil. IFFO’s headquarters are located in London in the United Kingdom and it also has offices in Lima, Peru, and in Beijing, China. IFFO is an accredited Observer to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
2. The Global Standard for Responsible Supply (IFFO RS) is a business-to-business certification programme that enables a compliant factory to demonstrate that it responsibly sources its raw material from well-managed fisheries and responsibly converts that into pure and safe products. To be certified fishmeal and fish oil factories must demonstrate sourcing from well managed fisheries and safe and traceable production. Assessments are conducted by an independent certification body and in just over two years, IFFO RS has successfully attracted 90 certified factories, spread across nine countries. Most of the largest fisheries such as Peruvian anchovy, Alaskan Pollock, Blue Whiting in UK, Iceland and Norway, Gulf menhaden in USA and many more have been approved for supply into the manufacturing food chain including whole fish and by- product raw material to produce compliant fishmeal and fish oil. For more information visit the IFFO RS Website 
3. Fishmeal is a natural, balanced, highly nutritious feed ingredient used in diets for farmed fish and crustaceans and as a high protein supplement in nutritionally demanding periods in the life cycle of pigs and poultry, as well as in pet food.
4. Fish oil is the major natural source (97%) of the healthy long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Most fish oil is used in feeds for farmed fish and there is an expanding market for fish oil for human nutritional supplements and functional foods.