Sardines are often associated with the iconic peel-back tin and colourful, artistic labels. A type of schooling fish in the herring family, sardines are packed full of healthy nutrients and are a staple of traditional diets around the world.
Australia imports 5,277 tonnes of tinned sardines annually, and these humble fish are becoming increasingly popular in fine dining. So how sustainable are the tinned sardines on our supermarket shelves?
Three key facts
To assess a product’s sustainability, we need to know three vital facts: 1) what species it is, 2) how it was caught or farmed, and 3) where it came from.
For example, products labelled ‘brisling sardines’ are actually not sardines! These fish are European sprat, a relative of the sardine. This matters because these species vary in terms of their sustainability.
The catch method is important because certain sardine fisheries use gear that damages marine life or their habitats. Others lack robust management and catch limits, or are subject to overfishing and puts the population at risk.
Where the sardines come from is also vital information, as population health and fishery management vary across countries.
When choosing seafood, most people rely on labels to help make a decision. Unfortunately, seafood labels are often vague or missing one or more important facts. This makes it nearly impossible for Aussies to make an informed, sustainable choice.
Which tinned sardines are sustainable?
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program is a leading international independent seafood sustainability guide that covers the broad range of international fisheries that supply the Australian tinned sardine market. The program is similar to our own GoodFish Sustainable Seafood Guide, so we consider its rankings for sardines and sprats to be consistent with our standard.
For sardines ranked amber, look for the following:
- Sardines caught in Japan or Morocco
- Sardines caught in Spain ONLY in the southern Bay of Biscay; all others are red
- Sardines certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)*
*It’s important to note that certain sardine fisheries have been certified as sustainable despite serious sustainability concerns raised by our international peers. For this reason, we recommend not relying entirely on certifications when choosing your tinned sardines. Sustainability certifications have not always been enough to prevent serious overfishing, bycatch or habitat destruction issues in certified fisheries.
We recommend you avoid the following red-listed products:
- Sardines caught in the Mediterranean
- Sardines caught in Brazil
- Sardines caught by French or Portuguese fisheries
- Brisling sardines (European sprat) caught in Ireland and Scotland.
According to Seafood Watch, there are no green-listed imported tinned sardines available in Australia.
Ideally, consumers should be able to find this information on the label of their favourite sardines. So how do tinned sardines stack up?
Using labels to choose sustainable tinned sardines
We looked at a selection of tinned sardines available at major supermarkets (Coles, IGA and Woolworths). Many of the products’ labels did not specify which population the fish came from, and none included the catch method. Labels like ‘made in’ or ‘product of’ refer to where the fish were processed and packed, but not where they were caught.
Only one brand provided enough information on the label to show that its sardines could be ranked amber. Another brand included enough information to determine that its sardines come from the overfished Mediterranean Sea, giving them a red ranking.
Is better labelling possible?
Yes! Many canned tuna products are labelled with the three key facts—species name, how it was caught, and where it came from—that empower seafood lovers to determine whether their favourite canned tuna is caught with a light touch on the oceans. Several of the brands selling canned tuna also sell sardines, so there’s no reason why the same comprehensive sourcing information can’t be printed on sardine labels, too.
Australian seafood consumers deserve to know what they are eating, how it was caught or farmed, and where it comes from. Better transparency over seafood sourcing gives consumers a say in whether or not to support sustainable fishing practices. Without this information, consumers are left in the dark.
What can you do?
For sardine lovers looking to have a lighter touch on our oceans, look for tinned brands that specify where and how the sardines were caught, not just where they were packed.
In Australia, we are fortunate to have several local, sustainable sardine fisheries. We recommend you buy Australian-caught sardines from Western Australia where possible. When dining out, use our GoodFish Restaurant Guide to support chefs that have committed to sourcing only sustainable seafood.
We are working to improve seafood labelling laws in Australia, in both retail and hospitality settings. Seafood labels should be strengthened so consumers know what they’re buying—empowering them to put their money behind well labelled, sustainable seafood.
Seafood labels in retail should state:
- A common name as dictated by the Australian Fish Names Standard, and ideally a scientific name
- Point of capture
- Whether it was wild caught (and the gear type) or farmed
- The exporting country (if applicable)
Seafood labels in hospitality settings should state:
- A common name as dictated by the Australian Fish Names Standard
- Whether it is Australian (A), imported (I) or mixed (M)
- The state or territory of harvest (if Australian)
Add your voice to our action calling for stronger seafood labelling laws.