The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability, and was founded in 1997. The MSC is on a mission to end overfishing and its vision is that of oceans and seas teeming with life.
The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market.
The blue MSC ecolabel is the world's most recognised ecolabel for sustainable seafood and means it is fully traceable to a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC’s science-based standard for sustainable fishing.
Over-fishing is a problem that affects us all. It threatens fish species, millions of jobs around the world, marine eco-systems, and the supply of seafood for future generations.
Purchasing seafood with the blue MSC ecolabel means that you can be sure your seafood comes from a sustainable, well-managed fishery which minimises its impact on the marine environment.
With oceans under threat from overfishing, plastic pollution and climate change, the choices we make as consumers has never been more important. We all have a role to play in ensuring our oceans are full of life – for today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
MSC certified fisheries make sure that there is enough fish for the future and are managed carefully so that other species and habitats within the ecosystem remain healthy. Independent experts check if the fisheries meet the MSC criteria. This way consumers can rest assured that products with the MSC ecolabel truly come from sustainable fisheries. And, by safeguarding the oceans, people who depend on fishing can maintain their livelihoods.
The sustainability of a fishery is an ongoing process. Fisheries are regularly reassessed, and many are required to make further improvements as part of their certification. As scientific knowledge also improves, fisheries are encouraged to develop new ways of conserving marine resources for future generations.
MSC certified fisheries represent more than 17% of the world’s wild marine catch are engaged in its certification programme and more than 18,000 different MSC labelled products are available on shelves across the globe, and over 1,600 products in the UK and Ireland. More information can be found on www.msc.org/uk
