Kiwis well-informed on sustainability and the health benefits of fish
Most New Zealanders eat fish at least once a month and are well informed on the importance of sustainable fisheries, according to a recent Colmar Brunton survey.
The New Zealand Seafood Industry Council recently released the findings of the public opinion survey which shows that almost half of the population eats fish at least once a week and that 88 percent of Kiwis have a fish dinner at least once a month.
“An astounding 88 percent of the population eats fish at least once a month and 46 percent are eating it weekly,” Owen Symmans, CEO of SeaFIC, said when the survey was released. “This has to be a good sign for the health of the nation.”
SeaFIC says the health benefits of including seafood in your diet a few times a week are numerous. Studies show that two or more servings of seafood per week may help:
- lower the risk of coronary heart disease,
- lower blood pressure,
- prevent arrhythmia in the heart muscle,
- prevent a second heart attack in people who already have heart
- ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis,
- develop nerve and brain cells in infants,
- promote good mental health,
- reduce the risk of prostate cancer,
- reduce Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio so that lung cancer is less invasive,
- decrease the risk of bowel cancer and ease inflamed airways.
(Maori liking for seafood has always had health benefits!)
The survey also looked at recreational fishing statistics and found that a quarter of all New Zealanders had never fished recreationally and only 25 percent of us have fished recreationally more than once in the past 12 months.
Other findings in the survey include:
- 65% of New Zealanders think that both recreational and commercial fishers should be required to catch less if there is not enough fish to meet demand
- 85% think that up to 10 fish per recreational fisher is a reasonable daily allowance and 85% of recreational fishers agree (the current limit is 20 for most finfish)
- 64% think that it is reasonable to require recreational fishers to record their catch and more than half (55%) of the recreational fishers agree
The full survey can be viewed at: http://www.seafood.co.nz/factfile
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