The conservation community is working together with members of the seafood industry to find ways to ensure that every fish has a label indicating its species name and place of origin.

Grant Recipient:  Blue Ocean Institute
Project Support:  FishPhone
Term:  2009/2010

Blue Ocean Institute’s FishPhone is a text-messaging service that instantly puts sustainable seafood information at people’s fingertips. Helping everyone make informed choices about their seafood selections, the service keeps an up-to-date list of all types of fish, from those apt to be contaminated with toxic chemicals to those endangered from overfishing.

FishPhone Text Messaging Service

To inquire about a seafood choice, individuals can simply text “30644″ with the message “FISH,” along with the name of the fish (e.g. halibut). The  service will text back an assessment and, if needed, offer alternatives for fish with environmental concerns. Fast, easy and free the FishPhone not only helps protect people, but our ocean abundance and sustainability as well.

iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users can download the FishPhone application from the iTunes store. Launched on July 6, 2010, the app brings you more than seafood rankings–it gives you wine pairings and recipes to inspire delicious ways for you to enjoy your ocean-friendly seafood.

Online Seafood Guide

And new for the 2010 summer, you can text the word BLUE to 30644 to opt-in to receive ocean-alerts, information on new seafood rankings, and cooking tips.

Blue Ocean’s Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood is available to cell phone and mobile device users at http://www.fishphone.org/.

What You Can Do

Besides using the FishPhone service, learn What You Can Do to help the environment in other ways, from supporting the expansion of marine reserves to limiting the use of plastic to getting inspired just by getting your feet wet.

Online Sushi Guide

Founded in 2003 by Dr. Carl Safina and Mercédès Lee, the Blue Ocean Institute promotes ocean sustainability through intelligent conservation of the sea’s natural resources. By studying and communicating how the oceans are changing and how everything we do—on land or sea—affects the waters, wildlife and people of our world, they hope to inspire a closer bond with nature, especially the sea. Blue Ocean develops conservation solutions that are compassionate to people, as well as ocean wildlife.

Resources/Media

Blue Ocean Institute Web site
FishPhone Information
Facebook