UN-supported mobile application provides consumers with information on fish they buy

A new mobile application supported by the United Nations provides consumers with information on the fish they buy, allowing them to make informed and sustainable choices.

The application, AppliFish, offers basic information for more than 550 marine species, including names and sizes, distribution maps, as well as maps featuring expected changes in the distribution of each species due to climate change.

“With AppliFish, consumers can choose fish that’s not endangered, helping ensure that there will be enough for future generations,” said the Senior Fishery Information Officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Marc Taconet. “Consumers can also use the application to learn more about species, capture levels and habitats, as well as the level of threats faced by these species.”

According to FAO, human consumption of fish products has doubled in the last half century, and in 2009, 30 per cent of the world’s marine fish stocks assessed were overexploited.

AppliFish was created by the fisheries and biodiversity knowledge platform i-Marine, which is made up of 13 research institutes, universities and international organizations from three continents.

The application also has a web version that contains additional scientific information from authoritative sources, including FAO, which can help policymakers and producers contribute to shape policies necessary for the responsible management of fisheries and conservation of aquatic resources.

Funded by the European Union (EU), AppliFish is available for free on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Last week, AppliFish was awarded a prize at the 10th e-Infrastructure Concertation Meeting in Brussels, which discussed the present and future of the EU’s research and innovation policy.