MSC celebrates its 20th anniversary restating its commitment to aid in the improvement of worldwide fishery management. (Image: MSC)
Over 400 fisheries participate now in MSC program
UNITED KINGDOM
Thursday, October 19, 2017, 02:30 (GMT + 9)
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary by releasing a special edition of its Annual Report, showing that more than 400 fisheries, landing 14 per cent of global marine catch by volume, are now engaged in its program.
This report reveals that 42,320 sites have MSC Chain of Custody certification and that in the last financial year, consumers bought 730,860 tonnes of MSC labelled seafood, in a market worth USD 5.6 billion.
MSC outlines its plans for the future, including an ambitious target to engage 20 per cent of marine catch by 2020 and a new initiative that will increase consumer awareness of the blue MSC label and add value to MSC certified sustainable fisheries.
“This high level of engagement in the MSC’s program drives real and lasting change in the way our oceans are fished and would not have been possible without the commitment and leadership of our partners, and the generosity of our funders,” points out Rupert Howes, CEO of the MSC.
The executive expressed the determination MSC has to remain a leading catalyst for improved fisheries management, contributing to the sustainable use of our oceans and supporting food security and livelihoods in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
A total of 315 fisheries are now certified in 34 countries. In the Northeast Pacific, 80 per cent of wild catch is certified sustainable by the MSC.
For key species, such as salmon, prawn, flatfish and whitefish, certification is becoming the norm with between 40 and 70 per cent of global wild catch engaged in the program.
In 2016-17, the first Finnish fishery, Baltic herring and sprat, entered the program and the first combined commercial and recreational fishery, Peel-Harvey blue swimmer crab Fishery, was MSC certified.
The certifying entity was also involved in supporting international commitments to protect arctic habitats, tuna traceability and ocean stewardship by the world’s largest seafood producers.
According to MSC, more than 1,200 documented improvements have been made by certified fisheries, which have delivered more stable biomass, reduced bycatch of unwanted species and improved management through better scientific understanding.
The MSC restated its commitment to continue incentivising improvements in fisheries worldwide in order to achieve SDG 14 — to conserve and sustainably use the oceans — and to maintain the rigor and robustness of our Standard through periodic review.
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