Loblaw Chairman Talks Sustainable Seafood to Senior School Students

During the week of May 23rd, students at the Senior School were invited to watch a documentary on a serious environmental topic: overfishing. The End of the Line, presented by Loblaw Companies Limited, details the catastrophic effects of overfishing and efforts to create environmentally sustainable sources of seafood for generations to come.

On May 27th, Galen G. Weston, Chairman of Loblaw Companies Limited, along with Paul Uys, Loblaw’s Vice President of Fresh Foods  visited the students who had watched the documentary, to talk about what their company is doing to be part of the solution, and to take questions from students.

Mr. Weston discussed how in the last 20 years, up to 90% of wild fish stocks have been depleted due to overfishing and a dramatic increase in consumption. With stocks in peril, last year Loblaw announced that by 2013, all fish products sold in their stores would be purchased from sustainable sources and therefore be Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)certified. Mr. Weston said he sees this move as good for business and the environment. And he believes his customers are ready for this change.

One student asked for examples of sustainable fishing. Steven Price, from the World Wildlife Organization, who accompanied Mr. Weston to TFS, responded that changes in the way nets are designed are ensuring that species not targeted for fishing, such as dolphins and turtles, are protected.

Finally, one student wanted to know what students, as a group, could do to help. Mr. Uys suggested using Facebook as a way of spreading the word (Loblaw sustainable seafood has a page on the site), while Mr. Weston asked students to speak to their parents about the choices they make at the grocery store. ”When you vote with your wallet, you can change things so fast,” he concluded.