Urgent Call to Address the Crisis in West Africa

A food crisis is deepening in West Africa, fuelled by demand from international companies for wild fish to feed farmed salmon in Europe. Just as climate change makes life increasingly challenging for fisherfolk in Senegal, Mauritania and other West African countries, trawlers continue to seize millions of fish a year to make fish oil and fishmeal, core ingredients in the diets of salmon farmed in places like Scotland and Norway. That salmon ends up on restaurant plates and supermarket shelves all over the UK and EU. While many big food companies and restaurants make a song and dance about the sustainability of the wild fish they sell, few have reckoned with the enormous impacts of salmon farming. Among these companies is Wagamama, a restaurant chain that has built a reputation on its self-purported environmental credentials – but its sourcing policies on salmon just don’t match up. 

Salmon, once considered a rare luxury, has become a ubiquitous presence on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. However, the rapid expansion of the industry has come with toxic consequences. In addition to the hazardous pesticides, shocking welfare standards, and hideous waste, the farmed salmon industry relies on plundered fish from oceans half a world away – increasingly impacting Mauritania, the Gambia, and Senegal. It’s a vicious cycle of overfishing, robbing local communities, and jeopardising the well-being of millions.

The demand for wild-caught fish from these waters has led to overfishing, the depletion of local livelihoods, and many facing the threat of malnutrition. 90% of the fish manufactured into fish meal and fish oil (FMFO) in West Africa is edible. It forms an integral part of traditional meals and shared culture. For children, it holds nutrients essential to their development. For artisanal processors, most of them African women, the fish once represented a living and a way of life; in competition with the international market, it is now a commodity they cannot afford.

Wagamama sees itself as “support[ing] the planet, whilst spreading positivity… from bowl to soul”. Living up to this reputation, and to their commitment to “small choices for big change,” means taking immediate action to remove farmed salmon from its menu.

We have reached out several times to Wagamama. We’ve sent them emails and letters. We’ve even hand-delivered an analysis of their sourcing standards to their own front door. Unfortunately they have elected to ignore us – but this problem isn’t going away.

If we want to get their attention, we have to make a bit more noise.

So, we’ve launched a petition, in partnership with Eko and Wild Fish, calling for Wagamama to drop farmed salmon from its menu, and thousands of their own customers have already signed it. Wagamama could sever ties with the salmon farming industry tomorrow, but they’ve shown they’re unwilling to do it without a push. Could you sign our petition, and help take a step towards protecting people’s livelihoods and nutrition in West Africa by getting farmed salmon off our plates?

Sign the petition

Photo by Bruno Martins on Unsplash