BJ’s Wholesale Club Commits to Sustainable Seafood

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — In partnership with leading non-profit groups including the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Global Aquaculture Alliance, BJ’s Wholesale Club here has announced a new sustainable seafood policy that will ensure that all seafood products sold by the company are sourced from suppliers identified as sustainable, or on track to meet sustainability standards by 2014.

“Our goal is to continue to provide safe, quality seafood at an excellent value for years to come and without compromise,” Scott Williams, manager of product development and quality assurance for BJ’s Wholesale Club, said in a press release. “As a large volume buyer of seafood, it is BJ’s responsibility to help protect the oceans and waterways and have a minimal impact on the long-term health of our ecosystems.”

BJ’s will work with new and existing suppliers to implement methods that protect aquatic species and their habitats. New guidelines for wild-caught fish focus on ensuring that the fish are caught legally and that suppliers have remained within catch quotas for that species, for example. For farmed fish, suppliers will be required to limit the use of chemicals and implement safeguards to prevent farmed fish from escaping or otherwise affecting wild fish.

The guidelines also encourage suppliers and fisheries to maintain and use the latest technology to make harvesting less destructive ocean habitats and to other aquatic species, such as dolphins and turtles.

The company has already implemented several quality improvements to its seafood program, “including DNA testing on all fresh and frozen fish, chemical free seafood that does not include artificial ingredients including sodium tripolyphosphate which is often used to retain water in shrimp, and moving tilapia production to a modern farm that meets GAA standards. Additionally, all canned fish sold at BJ’s are required to comply with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation guidelines,” the release notes.