Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international non-profit organization with a mandate to stop overfishing, has launched a guide on sustainable fish and seafood practices in Australia and New Zealand.
Overfishing is one of the leading causes of the decline in fish stocks currently being experienced in most parts of the world.
It, therefore, falls upon the fishing industry and the consumers to ensure that fish stocks in the oceans and rivers are constantly replenished for the sake of future generations.
It is towards this end that the Marine Stewardship Council has published an online guide to educate consumers about the importance of sustainable fish and seafood.
Sustainable seafood basically refers to fish and seafood caught in places they can be replenished and remain available in the near future. Sustainable fishing gives fish and seafood time to grow and reproduce to replenish the marine stock for future use.
The Importance of Sustainable Seafood Practices
The MSC guide further educates consumers on the importance of seafood sustainability. It states that according to statistics by the United Nations, more than a third of fish populations are slowly declining across the globe due to overfishing.
Other causes for the decline in fish populations include illegal fishing and destructive fishing practices. The only way to reverse the decline is through sustainable seafood practices by stakeholders in the fishing industry and the consumers as well.
Speaking on what makes sustainable fishing and whether big fishing boats are to blame, an MSC spokesperson pointed out that boat size does not matter when it comes to a fishery’s sustainability.
“It is the impact the vessel has on the marine environment rather than size,” he said. “Sustainability is achieved when fishing is properly managed to ensure populations of fish are left heft healthy.”
The Role of the Consumer in Seafood Sustainability
According to the guide, consumers can take a proactive role in promoting sustainable fishing practices by ensuring that they only buy products that carry the MSC blue fish tick on the label.
The label can be found on a wide range of seafood caught in the wild and sold in supermarkets across Australia and New Zealand.
The Marine Stewardship Council’s seafood guide will make shopping for sustainable fish and seafood easier for consumers in Australia and New Zealand. When shoppers buy seafood products with the MSC blue fish tick, they will in effect be supporting sustainable fishing practices.
The guide goes further to educate consumers about where they can buy sustainable wild-caught seafood. Products with the MSC blue tick can be bought in local supermarkets, restaurants, and select specialty retailers.
Some of the supermarkets selling sustainable seafood in Australia and New Zealand include but not limited to ALDI, Countdown, Coles, IGA, Foodstuffs, Woolworths, and New World, among others.
About Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a non-profit organization created to fight the problem of overfishing across the globe.
It seeks to ensure that future generations have access to seafood by restoring fish and seafood stock across the oceans and inland waters.
MSC’s mission is to promote seafood sustainability awareness through the use of bluefish ticks as well as fishery certification programs.
According to MSC, when people make better choices and purchase sustainable seafood, they promote the health of marine life in the world’s oceans.
Contact:
Marine Stewardship Council
+61-2-9527-6883
PO Box 61 | Caringbah 1495
New South Wales
Australia
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
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