2022-23 has been another landmark year for the Marine Stewardship Council. Over 15 million tonnes, or 19%, of all wild marine catch now comes from fisheries involved with the MSC program and the MSC's new strategic plan reaffirms its goal to increase this to over a third of wild-caught seafood by 2030.
There are now 674 engaged fisheries and over 20,000 MSC labelled products are available across 66 countries, with a number of new retail partners and products coming onstream. Consumers who want to support the health of our ocean now have an even greater choice of sustainable seafood products. The MSC uses funds from ecolabel sales to support our Ocean Stewardship Fund, which disbursed nearly $1million in 2022-23.
MSC continues to enjoy strong market momentum, with a healthy number of fisheries engaged in the program.
Rupert Howes, Marine Stewardship Council CEO, said: "Last year was a big year for the ocean, with governments reaching landmark agreements to protect biodiversity and the high seas. The seafood sector will have an important role to play in meeting these commitments, just as it does in contributing to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and responding to climate change.
Rupert Howes.
Despite these multilateral efforts, we face multiple challenges, including a retreat from globalisation, war in Ukraine, the threat of recession, and high inflation taking hold in major economies around the world.
Against this backdrop, we must not lose the momentum that we have built in the sustainable seafood movement.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. I know your engagement and leadership is making a real difference to the way our oceans are being fished.
MSC will redouble our efforts to add value to certified fisheries, to recognise and celebrate them, and to work with you to continue to incentivise improvements in the way our oceans are fished."
Sales of certified seafood are holding up strongly in a challenging climate in spite of economic headwinds.
About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation set up to help transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis.
The MSC runs the only certification and ecolabelling program for wild-capture fisheries consistent with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries.
(UNITED KINGDOM, 10/21/2023)
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