MSC updates sustainable fishing standards

13-Oct-2014 - Last updated on 15-Oct-2014 at 07:38 GMT

The updated MSC sustainable fishing standard will provide better protection to marine life and workers

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has overhauled its fishery certification standards to offer better protection to marine life and workers, with benefits for restaurants looking to source sustainable fish.

The updated standard was produced with input from fishery and marine experts from around the world, and raises the bar on issues including bycatch mitigation, vulnerable marine ecosystems and forced labour.

The changes will apply to fisheries that enter MSC assessment from 1 April 2015, while fisheries already certified to the MSC standard will be asked to adopt the new standard after their first re-assessment, commencing from 1 October 2017.

“This is an exciting development for the MSC. It adds rigour and robustness to the programme and will have a positive and lasting impact on the health of world’s oceans,” said David Agnew, MSC standards director.

“The fisheries standard review involved a broad and diverse sweep of interested parties, from fishery managers and marine biologists, to NGOs and conservationists. It has been a challenging and illuminating process, and one that has helped produce an updated standard of which all our stakeholders can be proud.”

Sustainable sourcing interviews

Meanhwile, Wahaca founder Thomasina Miers will take part in a series of interviews launched by the MSC to promote sustainable sourcing of fish and seafood.

Wahaca won won the MSC-certified menu of the year award 2014, and Miers will share her ideas on the challenges of providing choices to consumers in a market where diversity of seafood species is sometimes limited.

Natalie Phillips, category manager for Fish & Seafood at Brakes – the MSC UK Fish Supplier of the Year 2014 – has also been interviewed for the series.

She speaks about the progress Brakes has made with encouraging its foodservice customers to switch to different species of fish, such as from haddock to pollock.