Wild Oats To Resume Swordfish Sales

Wild Oats To Resume Swordfish Sales

BOULDER, Colo.--Wild Oats Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:OATS) has resumed sales of North Atlantic Swordfish in its stores based on efforts made by the international community to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species. However, the natural food market chain will continue to refrain from selling orange roughy and Chilean sea bass until population problems affecting these fish species are addressed and improved. 

Wild Oats discontinued the sale of North Atlantic swordfish, orange roughy and Chilean seas bass in 1999 amid concerns of population dwindling. Since then, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reduced quotas of the swordfish in November 1999, and the U.S. government announced in August 2000 seasonal closures of American swordfish nursery areas to commercial fishing. These efforts have helped restore the North Atlantic swordfish population. Meanwhile, Chilean sea bass and orange roughy still suffer from overfishing and from indiscriminate fishing tactics, including the catching of such fish before they have a chance to mature and reproduce. 

For more information, visit www.wildoats.com.