Woolworths funding for sustainable prawn fishery

A grant of $25,000 from Woolworths’ Fresh Food Future program will assist Northern Prawn Fishery achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable fishing practices.

Pat McEntee, General Manager of Woolworths Fresh Food, said, “With the global consumption of fish at a record high, it’s important that, as a leading retailer, we invest in Australia’s supply chain and help our suppliers to improve the sustainability of their operations.

“Located in Northern Australia, the Northern Prawn Fishery is a major supplier of banana prawns to Woolworths and this grant will go towards ensuring that this fishery has a strong and sustainable future.

“By awarding this grant to one of Australia’s largest fisheries, we are ensuring that future generations can enjoy all the fresh seafood this country has to offer,” said McEntee.

Covering 800,000 km from Cape Londonderry in the West to Cape York in Northern Australia, the Northern Prawn Fishery supplies Woolworths with 100% of its raw banana prawn stock.

Northern Prawn Fishing spokesperson David Carter said, “The Woolworths Fresh Food Future grant, combined with other funding, has set us on the path to becoming the world’s first certified tropical prawn trawl fishery. We are very proud of our environmental performance and are keen to have our sustainability credentials recognised globally.”

This announcement follows Woolworths’ launch of a sustainable fish sourcing strategy, which aims to empower customers to make more sustainable fish choices. In April 2011, Woolworths introduced Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified canned salmon and tuna into its 834 supermarkets. Woolworths is also working closely with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to ensure that its fresh fish range comes from sustainable sources.