There is a new kind of pirate in town and it’s not the kind with a parrot on his shoulder stealing gold from far away kingdoms. This pirate is equipped with a fishing boat and is stealing massive amounts of fish from our oceans. Greenpeace reports that “pirate fishing is estimated to account for up to a third of the global catch, is notorious for targeting at-risk populations and often uses highly destructive methods.” Our oceans are crying for help and we have the ability to make a difference right at our local supermarkets. According to Greenpeace, “supermarkets have enormous purchasing power and are well positioned to influence the way the fishing industry operates.” Here are a few ways you can takepart at your local supermarket.

Solution #1: Eat sustainable seafood. It’s better for you and better for the ocean. I find the Food and Water Watch’s Smart Seafood Guide really helpful while I’m shopping at the supermarket.

Solution #2: Help keep seafood pirates out of supermarkets with Greenpeace’s downloadable Seafood Activist Survey and Toolkit. Take the toolkit to your local supermarket and talk with the store manager about their seafood policies and practices. The toolkit will help you assess if there are red list seafood and endangered fish being sold. Next log your results on Greenpeace’s site.

Photo courtesy of herr_hartmann’s flick photostream (creative commons)