Marine Stewardship Council Fishery Certification
A Valuable Tool for the Environmentally Conscious Seafood Consumer
Feb 25, 2009
Balancing the need for economic security in local fishing communities with efforts to protect the earth’s ocean environment, the Marine Stewardship Council’s certification program rewards appropriate fishery management and gives consumers a way of evaluating the sustainability of the fish they purchase.
In addition, the Council supports reduction of bycatch and damage to ocean habitat from fishing gear.
The Marine Stewardship Council
Established in 1997, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) provides independent assessments of fisheries to determine whether their catch is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Fish from these sources are given an eco-label, which says that the product comes from a fishery that has been certified to Marine Stewardship Council environmental standard for well-managed sustainability.
The Marine Stewardship Council only certifies wild catch fisheries, both marine and freshwater. At present they do not evaluate aquaculture fisheries. Currently there are 39 certified fisheries throughout the world’s oceans, with another 101 in the process of being assessed.
In addition, the Council recently announced the first certified independent restaurant, Bamboo Sushi in Oregon. While many restaurants are using Marine Stewardship Council certified fish, Bamboo Sushi is the first to exclusively serve MSC certified eco-friendly fish.
The MSC also actively promotes the fisheries they have certified and encourages businesses to buy from them, thereby helping their fishermen to continue to practice environmentally sound fishing and maintain their source of income.
The Marine Stewardship Council Certification Process
The Council uses a seven-step program to determine whether a fishery meets their standards. The Marine Stewardship Council does not assess fisheries without their knowledge and certification is a voluntary process. The Council uses independent third party evaluators to ensure that there is no bias in the evaluation.
The MSC Environmental Standard for Sustainable Fisheries looks at three key points:
- Sustainability - Fishing activity is occurring at a level that does not overexploit the resource and that can be continued indefinitely
- Minimizing Environmental Impact - The fishery must be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function and diversity of ecosystem where it operates.
- Effective Management - Local, national and international laws must be met and there must be a system in place to respond to changing circumstances.
What the Marine Stewardship Council Label Means to Consumers
When shopping for fish or seafood, consumers can look for the MSC label to ensure they are buying from a sustainable and environmentally friendly fishery. They can also look for restaurants serving certified fish and seafood on the Marine Stewardship Council website.
Like FishPhone, the Marine Stewardship Council label helps fish eaters to ensure they are getting quality seafood from a sustainable source. By recognizing and promoting eco-friendly fishery management, the MSC also aids fishing communities in maintaining their livelihood.
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