Partners » Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

What is the purpose of the MSC?

The MSC program encourages and supports the responsible management of seafood resources. Our goal is to reverse the global decline of fish stocks, deliver improvements in marine conservation and safeguard fisheries-related livelihoods. The MSC promotes products from MSC-certified fisheries to consumers, retailers, food service and seafood suppliers as the best environmental choice in seafood.

 

What is the MSC eco-label?

To harness ever-growing consumer demand for sustainable products, the MSC offers its blue eco-label for seafood products that have been certified as sustainable at the fishery level and that are traceable throughout the "Chain of Custody," which is the entire supply chain from boat to plate. MSC is the only seafood eco-label that is consistent with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's guidelines for eco-labeling of fish products.

 

How extensive is the MSC?

More than 234 fisheries are currently engaged in the MSC program. Of those, 102 are already certified, 132 are under assessment, and an estimated 20 to 30 are in confidential pre-assessment. Together those fisheries record annual catches of more than 8 million metric tons of seafood, representing approximately 12% of the world's wild-caught seafood for human consumption - (more than 42 percent of wild salmon catch, 40 percent of whitefish catch, and 85% of coldwater shrimp catch. The number of fisheries, industry participants and MSC-labeled products is growing at a rapid rate. Worldwide, more than 8000 certified sustainable seafood products bear the blue MSC eco-label in 69 countries.

 

HHow can I find out more?

Please visit www.msc.org to find out where to purchase MSC-certified seafood or to learn more about the benefits of MSC certification.