Sealions and penguins at Edinburgh Zoo

Sealions at Edinburgh Zoo are now served certified sustainable fish after the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) made it their goal to buy all of its marine animal food from sustainable sources.

Darren McGarry, Animal Collection Manager for the zoo, said “We’re really pleased that the Patagonian sealions have taken to their new feed. Zoo animals can be very picky about what they eat but they’ve taken to the MSC certified feeds straight away.”

The zoo also houses one of the world’s most successful penguin-breeding programmes with over 200 penguins on site, and is in the process of incorporating MSC fish into their diet too.

"Gentoo penguins are particularly picky about their food and we need to ensure that the MSC certified South Africa hake will suit them – both in terms of taste and nutritionally,” adds Darren. “It’s important as well, that the South Africa hake fishery has radically reduced its seabird bycatch as part of its MSC certification – a cut that means thousands of seabirds will be saved. We’re really pleased to support that work and will be working towards adding a recommendation for MSC certified feed with any penguin we export to another zoo."

Claire Pescod from the Marine Stewardship Council, which runs the certification programme that checks on the fish sustainability,  says “This is fantastic news. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has already helped the MSC by providing the technical expertise and laboratory work needed for our DNA tracing programme and this is further evidence of the Zoo’s commitment to sustainability. I’m delighted that sealions are being fed Scottish MSC certified herring. This move supports the Scottish fishing communities that rely on the certified herring fishery and have proved their sustainability through the MSC process.”

Find out more about Edinburgh Zoo and its sustainable seafood policy at:
www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/news_132.html

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  Allegra McEvedy MBE, chef, writer and presenter
  "To stand by and do nothing, say nothing as we slowly drain the oceans of their livestock is to make one complicit, and that's just not a position with which I was comfortable."

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  Caroline Bennett, Moshi Moshi
  "I am determined to do something about the way we fished the seas. We know the problems, we don’t even need any additional information to know how to fix them: we just have to get on and do it. No excuses."

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  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Fish Fight
  “I have been travelling around the UK meeting fishermen, marine conservationists, politicians, supermarkets bosses, and of course fish-eating members of the public. It has changed the way I think about fish.”

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  Raymond Blanc OBE, Chef Patron, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
  “Good ethics should be part of everyday business. Many restaurants and caterers in this are helping to protect our precious marine resources. They should get rightful recognition and inspire others to do the same.”

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  Rosie Boycott, London Food Board
  "Taking a sustainable approach to fish is critical to the food security of our city. It is shocking to think that within our lifetimes, we could lose some of our favourite species from the seas forever."

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  Silla Bjerrum, Feng Sushi
  "Ensuring the future supply of fish is very important. Eating fish can be a component of a healthy lifestyle. Future generations rely on us to pass on healthy seas and maintain biodiversity."

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  Tim Hughes, Caprice Holdings
  "It’s our duty to impart our knowledge to a wider audience, so everybody realises how important it is to cherish our fish stocks. I will continue to champion lesser-known species in plentiful and sustainable supply."