Wild Oats Markets resumes selling swordfish

9/21/2000-Wild Oats Markets, Inc. announced that it has resumed offering North Atlantic swordfish in its stores. In 1999, the company discontinued offering North Atlantic swordfish, orange roughy, and Chilean sea bass due to concerns over dwindling populations. In the past year, the international community has taken significant steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of North Atlantic swordfish. In November of 1999, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reduced swordfish quotas. In addition, in August of this year, the U.S. government announced seasonal closures of North Atlantic swordfish nursery areas in the U.S. to commercial fishing, helping to ensure a safe environment for them to grow to maturity. The sustainability of orange roughy and Chilean sea bass continues to be in question. Wild Oats will not carry orange roughy and Chilean sea bass until a recovery plan that will restore the populations to sustainable levels is adopted.