Target To Sell 100% Sustainable Fish By 2015

Target has announced that it will sell only sustainable seafood by 2015, reports the Los Angeles Times. The fish will also be traceable, though executing that process will be more challenging. There is no nationally-accepted way to track seafood and the seafood supply chains are incredibly complex, explained the director of the nonprofit FishWise. FishWise is partnering with Target to implement the project.

According to a press release, "Target defines sustainable and traceable seafood as the sourcing of seafood products that are caught or raised in an environmentally sensitive manner and maintain Target’s business needs without jeopardizing the affected ecosystems."

Although Target may be known more for its discount clothes and home goods than for its seafood products, every one of the 1,767 stores sell a form of seafood, a Target spokesperson told The Huffington Post. The 252 SuperTarget stores, which have a full grocery section, sell both fresh and frozen seafood. All general merchandise Target stores stock frozen seafood and 875 of them have a PFresh market, which has an expanded fresh food section. Target plans to expand the PFresh market to additional stores.

Last year, the retailer stopped selling farmed salmon and switched to wild-caught salmon. This move is one of several sustainable seafood pushes by large companies. Starting this month, McDonald's Europe will serve all sustainable fish certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.