Singapore hosts its first Sustainable Seafood Festival (8-15 June 2014)

Judging by amount of seafood Singaporeans consume in a year –over a whopping 140 million kilogrammes a year – it is an undeniable fact that Singaporeans enjoy eating seafood. What if there comes a day when our favourite seafood ceases to exist?

Did you know that 90% of the world’s oceans are fully exploited and overfished? With increasing demand and decreasing stocks, it is estimated that seafood stocks will collapse by 2048 if the consumption and fishing rates persist. Blame overfishing (fishing out of the sea faster than species can reproduce), destructive practices, by-catches and illegal fishing if you must, but do your part by opposing such practices. Choosing the products you purchase for home-cooking wisely and supporting dining establishments that are advocates of sustainable seafood are the first steps you can take.

To heighten awareness about sustainable seafood consumption among the general public and within the food industry, World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore) partners with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to inaugurate Singapore’s first ever Sustainable Seafood Festival. During the festival, from 8 to 15 June 2014, the public can look forward to exclusive offers and promotions centred on sustainable seafood at participating restaurants, hotels and retail partners.

Participating establishments will be offering special sustainable seafood dishes created just for the festival in support of this worthy cause. Innovative creations include Absinthe Restaurant Français’s Grilled Atlantic Halibut, Australian Prawn Risotto & Kaffir Lime Leave Emulsion, Oscar’s (Conrad Cetennial Singapore)’s Marinated sustainably sourced Patagonian Toothfish on Japanese rice with dried seaweed and Teriyaki sauce, and others shown below.


Glow Juice Bar & Café (Hilton Singapore) – Australian King Prawns served with Mango Salad and Palm Sugar

Hilton Worldwide has recently ceased serving sharks fin across its owned and managed Asia Pacific properties. The ban on sharks fin previews the company’s on-going efforts to develop a Sustainable Sourcing Policy, including sustainable seafood.


Il Cielo (Hilton Singapore) – Salmon Tartar served with Watermelon, Marjoram and Raspberries Vinaigrette

The refreshing pairing of watermelon and salmon tartar, invigorated by the tangy raspberries vinaigrette, left a pleasant impression.


Gattopardo Ristorante di Mare – Patagonian Toothfish with Citrus Caramel Reduction

One of the standout items was the Patagonian Toothfish with Citrus Caramel Reduction by Gattopardo Ristorante di Mare.

Other participating establishments include Seasons Bistro, The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill and Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa. Visit http://Picktherightcatch.com/find/ for the complete list.

Where to shop for sustainable seafood? Cold Storage was the first supermarket chain to initiate a “No Shark’s Fin” policy. During this one-week festival, an added range of certified sustainable seafood products expands its existing dedicated section for sustainable seafood that was introduced in 2011. Look out for attractive promotions at selected stores during this period.

What are some brands to look out for when shopping for sustainable seafood? Suppliers with Chain of Custody certified by Marine Stewardship Council: Global Oceanlink, Golden Fresh, Indoguna, Lee Fish, and Responsible Seafood.

For more information, visit Picktherightcatch.com.