Blackmores And WWF -Sustainable Fish Oils Partnership

Media Release
NOVEMBER 2012
TAPS APPROVAL: PP3084.

Blackmores And WWF Announce Sustainable Fish Oils Partnership

In a landmark announcement for the natural healthcare industry, Blackmores has partnered with the global conservation organisation WWF in Australia and New Zealand as part of its commitment to achieving the highest possible standard of sustainability* for its fish and krill oils – launching the Blackmores and WWF Sustainable Fish Oils Partnership.

The Blackmores and WWF Sustainable Fish Oils Partnership is a three-year engagement to help Blackmores achieve the highest possible standard for sustainable fish oils by 2015, and represents Blackmores’ commitment to fulfilling a vision of healthy oceans, healthy communities and sustainable business practices.

Blackmores has also signed the WWF Sustainable Seafood Charter. The Charter jointly commits Blackmores and WWF to:
• Contribute to a future in which sustainable fisheries thrive in healthy ecosystems, benefiting people, businesses and species that depend on them.
• Work together towards sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture production.
• Safeguard valuable marine ecosystems, ensuring the long-term viability of seafood supply that we all depend on.

The partnership announcement coincides with the launch of Blackmores Eco Krill, which is sourced from sustainable fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). which is recognised by WWF as the most rigorous sustainability certification available.

Krill is the food source of ocean creatures such as whales, penguins and seals and that’s why it is important to ensure the sustainability of krill in our oceans. Blackmores Eco Krill is the only krill oil available in Australia and New Zealand that has been certified as sustainable by the MSC and the first Blackmores product launched as part of the Sustainable Fish Oils Partnership.

Marcus Blackmore, Blackmores’ Chairman said:
“Our partnership with WWF and commitment to the MSC are hugely significant for Blackmores. We agree that businesses in the seafood economy have an inherent responsibility and an essential role to play in ensuring fish stocks are managed sustainably. Blackmores being a signatory to the policies and principles of WWF’s Sustainable Seafood Charter on top of our own Sustainable Fish Oil Sourcing Policy represents our commitment to fulfilling the vision of healthy oceans, healthy communities and sustainable business practices.”

“As part of Blackmores’ commitment to sustainability we have removed 96% of the tuna oil from our Australian and New Zealand products over the last 2 years whilst delivering the same high quality health products. The transition for the final 4% should be complete by December 2013. Tuna oil is sought after for its high levels of the omega 3 oil DHA, which may help brain and heart health. Some species of tuna are fished sustainably but others are not, and in the absence of good traceability data the most responsible move for us was to remove tuna while retaining a quality product equally high in DHA.
This is an important milestone for the Blackmores sustainability journey, as it means our products cannot contain overfished tuna stocks. We are proud to have found a way to deliver the same health benefits in a much more sustainable way.”

WWF-New Zealand Executive Director, Chris Howe said:
“WWF is working with Blackmores to review its fish and krill oil products and provide advice on how they can achieve the highest possible standard of sustainability to meet its 2015 target. The successful replacement and phasing out of tuna oil use in Australia and NZ products sets an important precedent in the fish oils sector.”

ABOUT BLACKMORES ECO-KRILL

Blackmores Eco-Krill is sourced from sustainable fisheries and supports brain, heart and eye health. Blackmores Eco Krill is the only krill oil available in NZ that has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
• Comes in two strengths – 333.3mg and 1000mg (super strength)
• Small, vanilla flavoured easy to swallow capsules
• Batch tested for high phosholipid extract
• Naturally rich in phospholipids & contains omega-3s
• Rich in astaxanthin, an antioxidant that preserves the EPA/DHA levels

Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Including Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), which play an important role in helping to maintain heart, brain and eye health and also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Phospholipids: Phospholipids found in Krill Oil are the very ones from which our bodies’ cell walls are made. Because of this, phospholipids are rapidly and easily absorbed into our bodies. Research suggests that the phospholipids therefore have a beneficial effect on omega-3 fatty acid absorption into our bodies compared to standard fish oils.
Phosphatidylcholine; A type of phospholipid, rich in fatty acids, Phosphatidylcholine is said to be essential for healthy cholesterol metabolism* and plays a role in the transport and metabolism of fats. Phosphatidylcholine is also said to be essential for the detoxification functions of the liver**
Astaxanthin; Krill is naturally rich in astaxanthin; an antioxidant which acts to preserve the EPA and DHA in Krill capsules as Omega-3 are prone to oxidation***. It’s the astaxanthin that gives Blackmores Krill Capsules its distinctive red-orange colour.
Directions; Adults take 1 capsule daily with food, or as prescribed by your health professional. Children under 12, only as professionally prescribed.
BLACKMORES ECO KRILL 333.3mg: RRP: 28.95 (30 Vanilla flavoured capsules)
BLACKMORES ECO KRILL SUPER STRENGTH 1000mg: RRP: 49.95 (30 Vanilla flavoured capsules)

ABOUT WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.
WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
WWF Australia partners with businesses to advise on responsible sourcing of key products, and on strategies to meet responsible sourcing commitments. These partnerships are focused on reducing the ecological impact of the businesses’ partners. In terms of seafood and marine products, in addition to Blackmores, WWF-Australia has strategic partnerships with Coles Supermarkets, John West and Tassal.

ABOUT THE MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent, non-profit global organisation that sets standards for sustainable, wild-catch fisheries and seafood around the world.
The MSC works with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood. The MSC’s fishery certification program and seafood ecolabel recognise and reward sustainable fishing.
MSC is recognised by WWF as the most rigorous marine fisheries sustainability certification available

* The highest possible standard means we will source fish oils entirely from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified farms. Where MSC/ASC products which meet Blackmores product specifications are not available, we will only use low ecological risk responsibly sourced fish oils. Blackmores will strive to develop access arrangements for MSC/ASC products and encourage certification of further fisheries and farms.

Blackmores is a signatory to the WWF Global Seafood Charter and agrees to its principles. This Charter sets out clear principles and objectives to safeguard valuable marine ecosystems, ensuring the long-term viability of seafood supplies.

1: Intel Health. Hyperhealth 2010 (CD-Rom) Phosphatidycholine.
2: Jamison J. Clinical guide to nutrition and dietary supplements in disease management, Churchill Livingston, 2003
3: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Krill: Monograph, 19 December, 2011: http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/PrintVersion.aspx?cs=&s=ND&id=1172(accessed 19/12/2011)

STOCKIST DETAILS: Blackmores products are available from all leading Pharmacy, Health Food Stores and Supermarkets nationwide. For more information or to speak to a qualified Naturopath call Blackmores free Advisory Service on 0508 75 74 73 or visit www.blackmoresnz.co.nz.

-Ends-

© Scoop Media