09.09.2009 The Nile Perch: Elior involvement and commitment! After being introduced into Lake Victoria (East Africa), the prolific Nile Perch has not only changed the ecosystem but also the local economy. Reacting to this change, many French companies have stopped importing this fish. Elior is taking a very different stand. With the Responsible Fishing Alliance (RFA), the group is financing local projects aimed at improving the living conditions of the population. The population is suffering from malnutrition. In the 1950’s, the Nile Perch was introduced into Lake Victoria, bordered by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The result is that the prolific perch has multiplied and invaded the lake to the detriment of local species. It is an ecological catastrophe. Since that date, European consumers have discovered the perch. The development of intensive fishing has favoured a return to a semblance of balance: the perch now represents only one third of the lake’s fish. But the economic and social consequences of this phenomenon continue to be worrying. The particularly dense populations around the lake are unable to eat perch which is reserved for export. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and serious protein deficiencies. What is more, less than 10% of the revenue generated by these exports is paid back to the fishermen. The remainder goes to the exporters and transformers. Financing new activities to re-establish balance. Confronted by this controversy, "some buyers have decided to stop all purchases of the Nile perch" explains Séverine Heyman, "seafood" product manager at Elior. "We have tried to understand, get involved and committed rather than to simply withdraw." In 2007, we therefore contacted the Responsible Fishing Alliance*, of which we are a founder member". The logical approach of Elior is above all one of citizenship and solidarity. "We want to help local populations tackle new activities, in particular fish-farming and agriculture, intended to provide them with food" enthusiastically states Séverine Heyman. "To finance these actions, we make a contribution for each purchased kilo of perch to a fund established by the RFA. On the spot, non-government organisations deal with confirming our projects". * The Responsible Fishing Alliance is an action group made up of various players from the fishing world, from upstream to downstream: fisherman’s federations, importers, retailers, associations near the consumers … Some links - Article "Let’s preserve the fishing resources" - Elior Group’s commitments to sustainable development - The Responsible Fishing Alliance (RFA) on the Sustainable Food Laboratory site
09.09.2009
The population is suffering from malnutrition.
In the 1950’s, the Nile Perch was introduced into Lake Victoria, bordered by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The result is that the prolific perch has multiplied and invaded the lake to the detriment of local species. It is an ecological catastrophe. Since that date, European consumers have discovered the perch. The development of intensive fishing has favoured a return to a semblance of balance: the perch now represents only one third of the lake’s fish.
But the economic and social consequences of this phenomenon continue to be worrying. The particularly dense populations around the lake are unable to eat perch which is reserved for export. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and serious protein deficiencies. What is more, less than 10% of the revenue generated by these exports is paid back to the fishermen. The remainder goes to the exporters and transformers.
Financing new activities to re-establish balance.
Confronted by this controversy, "some buyers have decided to stop all purchases of the Nile perch" explains Séverine Heyman, "seafood" product manager at Elior. "We have tried to understand, get involved and committed rather than to simply withdraw." In 2007, we therefore contacted the Responsible Fishing Alliance*, of which we are a founder member".
The logical approach of Elior is above all one of citizenship and solidarity. "We want to help local populations tackle new activities, in particular fish-farming and agriculture, intended to provide them with food" enthusiastically states Séverine Heyman. "To finance these actions, we make a contribution for each purchased kilo of perch to a fund established by the RFA. On the spot, non-government organisations deal with confirming our projects".
* The Responsible Fishing Alliance is an action group made up of various players from the fishing world, from upstream to downstream: fisherman’s federations, importers, retailers, associations near the consumers …
Some links
- Article "Let’s preserve the fishing resources" - Elior Group’s commitments to sustainable development - The Responsible Fishing Alliance (RFA) on the Sustainable Food Laboratory site
