Certifiable: Sardines, like these grilled munchies at Monterey's Café Fina, top the Seafood Watch "green" list. Kera Abraham
Eating Blue
Monning's sustainable seafood legislation signed into law.
Monday, October 12, 2009
You may already eat organic produce, dairy and meats. But good luck finding feel-good fish in your neighborhood market: There are no established regulatory standards for eco-certified seafood.
That will change--at least in California--thanks to AB 1217, which Gov. Schwarzenegger signed into law Sunday night. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Bill Monning (D-Monterey) and sponsored by Monterey Bay Aquarium, requires the state Ocean Protection Council to develop and consider adopting criteria to certify sustainable California seafood. The bill also authorizes OPC to implement the certification program, in cooperation with a marketing association, to promote sustainably caught or farmed California seafood.
The governor signed seven other Monning bills and vetoed six. Among those quashed: AB 1069, which would have required the California Department of Food and Agriculture to set up a toll-free public hotline when it decides to pursue an urban pesticide application. The veto is likely to anger proponents of pesticide reform, who were galvanized by the fall 2007 aerial pheromone applications over Monterey and Santa Cruz counties to combat the invasive light brown apple moth.
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