The Tides of Change

Why the future of seafood depends on the choices we make today.

There is an old saying among fishermen:

“You cannot change the tide, but you can learn to work with it.”

At Greenfish, we believe the seafood industry is experiencing one of the biggest shifts in its history. Consumers are asking more questions than ever before.

Where was this fish caught?

Who caught it?

How was it harvested?

What impact did it have on our oceans?

These are the right questions to ask.

Over the past month, our team has had the privilege of attending two remarkable events that have reinforced many of the values Greenfish has held since the day we opened our doors.

Learning from the best

On 8 June 2026, members of the Greenfish team attended the WWF SASSI Sustainable Seafood Training Programme at the Two Oceans Aquarium.

The programme brought together retailers, processors, suppliers and other seafood stakeholders from across South Africa to better understand the challenges facing our oceans and the role each of us plays in protecting them.

At the conclusion of the course, every Greenfish team member who attended received their SASSI training certificate a proud moment for our team, but more importantly another step in our commitment to continual learning.

One of the most valuable lessons wasn’t simply about seafood.

It was about perspective.

Global seafood consumption has more than doubled over the past sixty years, while the world’s population has grown from around three billion people to almost eight billion.

Today, more than ninety percent of global fish stocks are considered either fully exploited or overfished.

Those figures remind us that producing seafood responsibly has never been more important.

From the classroom to the conversation

Less than a month later, on 2 July, we found ourselves at the Sustainable Seafood Festival at Makers Landing in the V&A Waterfront.

This wasn’t simply another event.

It brought together some of South Africa’s leading chefs, marine scientists, fishermen, seafood producers, retailers and conservation organisations.

The conversations were inspiring.

One discussion stood out.

Representatives from the V&A Waterfront shared that the precinct contributes approximately 1% of South Africa’s GDP. With that influence comes an opportunity to lead by example by encouraging restaurants within the precinct to support locally caught seafood, particularly fish harvested by South Africa’s traditional small-scale and handline fisheries.

For us, this was incredibly encouraging. For years we’ve believed that the future of seafood isn’t simply about catching fish. It’s about how we catch fish. Beyond the word “sustainable” You’ll notice that at Greenfish we are careful with the word “sustainable.” Not because sustainability isn’t important, it absolutely is. But because it is one of the most misunderstood words in the seafood industry.

Too often, “sustainable” becomes a marketing label instead of a genuine commitment. A complex issue is reduced to a single word, making it difficult for consumers to understand what they’re actually supporting.

Rather than making sweeping claims, Greenfish prefers to speak about low-impact fishing methods. It is a phrase we believe better reflects our philosophy. 

Every fishery is different.

Every species is different.

Every ecosystem is different.

Responsible seafood isn’t determined by one label. It is determined by the decisions made every day by fishermen, scientists, regulators, processors, retailers and consumers.

Why we support low-impact fishing

Whenever possible, Greenfish chooses to support traditional South African handline fisheries.

There are many reasons for this.

Handline fishing is one of the most selective fishing methods available.

Fish are caught individually rather than in bulk.

This dramatically reduces unwanted bycatch and greatly lowers the accidental capture of seabirds, turtles, sharks and other non-target species.

Because there are no heavy nets dragging across the ocean floor, reefs and sensitive marine habitats remain untouched. Only part of a fish school is harvested, allowing fish to continue breeding and helping maintain healthy populations over time. Every fish is individually handled, resulting in exceptional quality with less bruising and stress. The method also provides excellent traceability. In many cases, we know exactly where the fish was caught, who caught it and when it was landed. Beyond the environmental benefits, handline fishing supports something equally important people.

     

It creates more employment per tonne of fish landed than highly mechanised industrial operations. 

It supports locally owned fishing businesses.

It keeps money circulating within coastal communities.

It preserves traditional fishing knowledge that has been passed from one generation to the next.

Perhaps most importantly, the fishing effort itself is naturally limited by weather, seasons and the physical capability of the crew.

The objective is not to catch everything.

The objective is to catch enough.

If you’d like to learn more about why Greenfish champions traditional handline fisheries, we’ve explored the topic in greater depth in our article:

Small-Scale vs Industrial Fishing Methods – Why They Are Not Equal

https://youtu.be/_4U6kShVBN8?si=HXWBXtcJBnmpEvGC 

But what does a poor choice actually look like?

We spend a lot of time talking about good choices.

Responsible choices.

Low-impact choices.

But very few people ever get to see the alternative.

Unlike wildlife on land, the ocean hides what happens offshore.

Imagine if the Kruger National Park announced that half its rhino population had disappeared in a single year.

The world would notice.

People would see the consequences.

Television crews would arrive.

Conservation campaigns would begin immediately.

But what happens hundreds of kilometres offshore remains largely invisible.

Most consumers never witness commercial fishing operations.

Recently we came across a short social media video that appeared to show a commercial fishing operation somewhere in Asia. We cannot verify exactly where it was filmed, nor are we using it to criticise any country, company or individual. Instead, it provides a visual example of what non-selective fishing can sometimes look like. The footage shows a large net containing tuna, wahoo, dorado, sea turtles and numerous other marine animals caught together. It reminds us that some fishing methods are capable of catching almost everything in their path. The video also highlights something many consumers never consider. Fish quality begins long before it reaches the fish counter.

 

When fish spend prolonged periods crowded together inside nets, they experience enormous physical stress.

This can lead to bruising, muscle fatigue and increased lactic acid build-up, all of which can influence eating quality.

By contrast, a fish caught individually on a handline can be immediately dispatched, bled, chilled and carefully handled from the very beginning.

The result is not only a more selective fishery but often a noticeably better product.

We don’t share footage like this to shock people.

We share it because informed consumers make better decisions.

The future belongs to informed consumers

Neither the SASSI training nor the Sustainable Seafood Festival suggested there is one perfect solution.

Quite the opposite.

The message was that protecting our oceans requires collaboration.

Scientists.

Government.

Fishermen.

Processors.

Retailers.

Restaurants.

Consumers.

Every person has a role to play.

At Greenfish, we don’t pretend to have all the answers.

But we will continue asking the right questions.

We will continue learning.

We will continue supporting responsible South African fisheries.

We will continue investing in food safety, traceability and transparency.

And we will continue sharing what we learn with you.

Because every seafood purchase is more than a meal.

It is a vote for the kind of fishing industry we want to leave to future generations.

The tides are changing.

We’re proud to be navigating them with you.