Tag Archives: Walmart

AquaBounty’s Stotish responds to Sobeys decision against selling GE salmon

Since the first genetically engineered salmon was sold in Canada this summer, retailers and environmental groups have stepped up their opposition to the product. After four years of review, the Canadian government declared GE salmon safe for consumption and allowed it to be sold in 2016. However, resistance has been growing,,, Retailers have responded, with Sobeys, which operates 15,000 stores across Canada, recently becoming the latest grocery chain in North America to declare that it will not be selling AquaBounty’s AquAdvantage salmon, after Loblaws and Metro declared they would not sell GE salmon earlier this year. click here to read the story 10:40

Seafood sold in U.S. grocery stores is being processed by North Korean labor

The case for knowing where your food comes from grows ever stronger: A new Associated Press investigation reveals America’s hunger for seafood is unwittingly helping fund the North Korean dictatorship. According to the report, North Korea is outsourcing workers to plants in China that process seafood, including wild-caught salmon, snow crab, and squid, that’s sold in U.S. grocery stores such as Walmart and Aldi — meaning American grocery shoppers “may inadvertently have subsidized the North Korean government as it builds its nuclear weapons program.” click here to read the story 22:31

Walmart Exposed for Selling Dolphin-Deadly Tuna in Costa Rica

Investigations by the nonprofit International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) have revealed that, in its Costa Rican locations, Walmart has been selling its own brand of canned tuna that has been caught using fishing methods that harass and kill dolphins. These practices make Walmart’s tuna brand — called Suli — dolphin-deadly, though Suli tuna cans carry a misleading seal claiming that the tuna is dolphin safe.,,, In what appears to be a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers, on its Suli label, Walmart includes a blue dolphin seal with the words: “Tuna caught under dolphin protection standards” in Spanish. The cans also note that the tuna is a “Product of Mexico.” click here to read the article 15:00

How a ‘rogue’ environmental group transformed (HIJACKED) American fisheries

One of the nation’s largest environmental groups — bankrolled with $50 million from the heirs to the Walmart fortune — has spent millions of dollars pushing a wholesale change in how the U.S. manages its fisheries, an AL.com investigation reveals. Critics blame the Environmental Defense Fund effort for hurting fishing communities on every coast, from Kake, Alaska, and Gloucester, Mass., to Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The group has pushed a system that turns the right to catch a pound of fish into a private commodity that can be bought and sold like a share of stock on Wall Street. The government then gives these shares to individual commercial fishermen, granting them the right to catch that fish, or lease or sell the right to catch it to another fisherman. EDF gained unprecedented access to the levers of power in 2008 when President Obama appointed the vice-chair of EDF’s board – Jane Lubchenko — as the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which manages the nation’s fish stocks. Once in power, Lubchenko, a respected but little known fisheries professor in Washington State, enacted a national catch share policy that mirrored EDF’s longtime goals. Read this story. Read the story here 09:21

Little effect from slavery accusations on fish-product exports so far: ministry

“Importers are still ordering Thai fishery products as usual. Exports to the US and the European Union should not be affected by the problem,” Srirat Rastapana, permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said yesterday. Read more here 09:57

Thai shrimp supplier dismisses alleged links to slave labour

Thai food giant Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods fended off allegations it was complicit in forced labour (slavery) in its supply chain, levelled by a British newspaper, a report said Saturday. Read more here 11:50

US may blacklist Thailand after prawn trade slavery revelations – Excellent Video

The US is considering downgrading Thailand on a human trafficking blacklist, following revelations in the Guardian that slaves are being used in the production of prawns sold in leading American, British and European supermarkets. Watch video, and read more here 14:46

Walmart, Costco are scrambling to address the forced labor Shrimp slave investigation.

smiley fishermanRetail giant Wal-Mart Stores and warehouse membership club leader Costco say they’re taking action in response to a news investigation that found evidence of forced labor in their Thailand-area seafood supply chains. Workers compelled to toil for years in Asia at no pay and under threat of violence are being used in the production of seafood sold by Wal-Mart, Costco and major British and European retailers, England-based The Guardian reported Tuesday. Read more here  14:31

Revealed: Asian slave labour producing prawns for supermarkets in US, UK

A six-month investigation has established that large numbers of men bought and sold like animals and held against their will on fishing boats off Thailand are integral to the production of prawns (commonly called shrimp in the US) sold in leading supermarkets around the world, including the top four global retailers: . Read more here  12:28

Walmart OKs Alaska seafood certification – Because they were pushed into it by fishermen!

MSC-LogoThe State of Alaska announced today that it has reached an agreement with Walmart, and the retailer will continue to sell Alaska seafood.Walmart has agreed to change its sourcing policies to allow multiple certification programs, as long as they meet principles set by The Sustainability Consortium, or TSC. As a result, the retailer will sell Alaska seafood without a Marine Stewardship Council, or MSC, certification. Read more@alaskajournal  19:46

Walmart Agrees to Work With ASMI on Sustainability Particulars

The nation’s largest retailer has reaffirmed its commitment to buy Alaska seafood, and will work with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute on sustainability issues to meet needed criteria. Sustainability of the state’s seafood is mandated by the state’s constitution. Read more@fishermensnews  17:28

Alaska Fishermen to Walmart: “Why Didn’t You Keep Your Promise to Congress?”

smiley fishermanAlaska fishermen are pledging to take further action to hold Walmart accountable for its ongoing failure to keep its promise to revise by the end of 2013 its outdated and misguided policy that is shutting out a large proportion of sustainable Alaska salmon from its stores. Read [email protected]  17:38

Senator Murkowski Calls on Walmart to Carry Products Made with Salmon from Alaska

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski is continuing to lobby the largest retailer on earth to carry products made with salmon from Alaska. On Wednesday Senator Lisa Murkowski sent a letter to the incoming CEO of Walmart outlining her concerns with the current purchasing practices of Walmart in regards to salmon from Alaska. more@kdlg  14:53

Protestors demand open-pen farmed salmon be pulled from Walmart’s shelves

Green, and several other supporters in Duncan, claimed activity and compounds in open-pen fish farms are basically poisoning coastal waters — claims that are vehemently disputed by the industry and not supported by government. They also cited sea lice, and three viruses, affecting wild-salmon stocks. “It’s affecting the ecosystem,” Green said. “Lots of people don’t know the dangers of open-pen farmed salmon.” more@cowitchannews 20:29

Fish fight: Walmart caught in the middle of Alaska salmon tangle

After a push from Alaskan salmon fisheries, Walmart considers alternative seafood certification systems. Will this undermine the Marine Stewardship Council’s dominance? more@theguardian 15:08

“Alaska Salmon Now!” – DEMAND THAT WALMART DO THE RIGHT THING – SIGN THE PETITION

Wal-Mart CEO and Legal Counsel: Reverse Discriminatory Policy Against Sustainable Alaska Salmon

The Petition  22:09

Deckboss – PROTEST ALERT: Alaska Fishermen Protest at Anchorage Walmart – 10:00AM (AKDT), Wednesday, September 4, 2013

PROTEST ALERT: Alaska Fishermen Protest at Anchorage Walmart “WALMART SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE ON ALASKA SALMON” SAY ALASKAFISHERMEN AT PLANNED PROTEST OF WALMART Demand change of Walmart policy that denies millions of Americans access to sustainable Alaskanseafood  more@deckboss  10:26

Amerian Samoa: STP/Tri Marine makes steady progress

Samoa Tuna Processors went to great lengths to save corals and sea grass  near its plant at Atu’u before it begins construction of a small vessel dock. The US Army Corps of Engineers issued the permit for the dock in May. The statement also announced that owners of STP. Tri Marine International, has launched a  new brand of canned tuna in the US market.  This is Ocean Naturals brand, canned Skipjack tuna in water which is in nation-wide distribution at all Walmart stores. [email protected]  13:14

Crab Certification Audit Complete, as Crabbers Await Stock Survey Results – Walmart, again, is part of the conversation.

Prices are down a bit, but demand remains strong, as harvesters of Alaska’s deadliest catch, albeit multi-million dollar crab fishery await stock survey results that will determine quotas for the 2013-2014 fishery….Schraeder notes that company policy requires that all wild seafood suppliers be third-party certified as sustainable using Marine Stewardship Council, Best Aquaculture Practices or equivalent standards. But crab processors doing business in Alaska have chosen to not use the MSC certification program. more@fishermensnews

Sensible decision: Walmart agrees to sell Alaska salmon after all – So do we let them off the hook? or beat on ’em?!!

A controversy about labeling Alaska salmon appears to be headed toward a resolution with a sensible decision by Walmart to not reject the sustainable fish supply from the 49th state  robbymore@newsminer

Walmart Back Peddles on it’s MSC Issue. I’m calling it Corporate MSC Blue Washing. Let’s Keel Haul ’em.

Contrary to recent reports that Walmart is swearing off Alaska salmon due to major processors’ decision to cut ties with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a spokesman for the global retail giant says Walmart never meant to give that impression. “We’re very committed to Alaska salmon,” Chris Schraeder, a spokesman for Walmart, told Undercurrent News. continued@undercurrent 

It’s too late! Read Nils Stolpes Seafood certificat​ion – who’s really on first?

Seafood certificat​ion – who’s really on first? Nils Stolpe

NetLogoBackground500“Sustainability certification” has become a watchword of people in the so-called marine conservation community in recent years. However, their interest seems to transcend the determination of the actual sustainability of the methods employed to harvest particular species of finfish and shellfish and to use the certification process and the certifiers to advance either their own particular agendas or perhaps the agendas of those foundations that support them financially. continued here

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the largest international organization – headquartered in London – providing fish and seafood sustainability certification. It was started in 1996 as a joint effort of the World Wildlife Fund, a transnational ENGO, and Unilever a transnational provider of consumer goods.

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From the Deckboss: Walmart keeps hearing it from Alaska. I wonder if the Governor knows they are back dooring Alaska Salmon to Brazil?!!

Another Alaska pol, Gov. Sean Parnell, has fired a letter to Walmart questioning the retail giant’s devotion to the Marine Stewardship Council ecolabel when it comes to buying salmon. Deckboss

Chilliwack Walmart sees renewed protest against farmed salmon again

36185chilliwackwalmartboycottLocal members of the National Salmon Feedlot Boycott were making some noise at the Chilliwack Walmart Wednesday. Chants of “Boycott farmed salmon!” and “Wild salmon forever!” were heard across the busy parking lot in the Eagle Landing development. [email protected]

Walmart’s need for Russian pink salmon likely exceeds available MSC supply – John Sackton, Seafoodnews.com

First, in their recent letter to suppliers, Walmart acknowledged that there was only a single Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) approved by SFP, which they called a ‘very small project led by WWF for chum salmon in the Tugur River of Russia.’ They said that there were other ongoing discussions in both Russian and the US, but that at present none of these had resulted in publicly announced improvement projects. Meanwhile, the available Russian MSC salmon is not sufficient to meet Walmart’s needs. continued@savingseafood

DEAR JOHN 2.0: Will “concerns” re. hatchery salmon lead to ‘loss of political support’ in Alaska for the ‘wild’/‘enhancement’ strategy?

An open letter to John Sackton, Editor of Seafood.com By Bertrand Charron, Editor of SeafoodIntelligence.com, Dear John, I believe it is high time – since my first ‘Dear John’ editorial of February 2012 – for a ‘Dear John 2.0’, as two of your well-articulated video comments during the past week do warrant praises and rebuttals of sorts   [email protected]  Lots of links, lots of information here. A lot to think about.

Walmart will continue to sell Alaska Salmon that is not MSC certified, but not in the US!

photocredit,robb walsh

photocredit,robb walsh

 Alaskan seafood has begun being imported directly into Brazil this month via supplier Noronha Pescados. The products are Alaska salmon, pollock and cod and they are going straight to Walmart, Pao de Acucar, Cencosud and other Brazilian stores. continued – scroll to third article here please

From the Deckboss – Is this anything? Walmart sent salmon suppliers this letter.

The letter said the company will buy only from fisheries “certified sustainable to the MSC standard,” or actively working toward certification. “It is amazing to me,” Tyson Fick, spokesman for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said, “that America’s largest retailer appears to be saying that they will not buy American seafood without the endorsement of a foreign-based environmental group while promoting foreign seafood with clearly inferior fisheries management and quality, all in the name of sustainability.” continued@deckboss  the letter

Keepin’ that imported shrimp real cheap! Underage Workers in Thailand: Walmart Fails to Act, Says Report

The brief, entitled ‘The Walmart Effect: Child and Worker Rights Violations at Narong Seafood,’ documents a number of serious violations of Thai law and international human rights standards at Narong Seafood, a model shrimp processing company and longtime supplier to Walmart. continued @ Phuket Wan

Some interesting notions here – Get Smart – An Eco-rant of an Environmental Studies major.

Huffpo green – I buy fish with the Marine Stewardship Council label of  “sustainably fished” approval. Every environmental handbook urges eco-conscious consumers to do so. But, turns out the label is not a green light signaling ‘go’ for the recovery of over-fished species, and guilt-free brain-enhancing omega-3 dining for my family. It’s green-washing.  The MSC has good intentions, but has bestowed its coveted label on fisheries at the very edge of collapse. continued