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With the change of season and the change of species at fish counters and auctions, now is a good moment to reflect on the increasing availability of MSC-labelled seafood. There are 292 MSC-labelled product lines available around the world, and the figure is rising. Visibility of the MSC eco-label is set to increase further as Unilever roll out labelled product across several EU markets over the coming months. Unilever estimate that this will take their sales of MSC certified seafood from under 5% to around 30% in some countries and to as high as 40% in the German market. Consumer outreach is now vital to build momentum for change and we look to our partners to support us on this shared journey. Repeated surveys show that consumers in several countries are ready to embrace the MSC eco-label, and now is the time to give them that choice.
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Rupert Howes
Chief Executive
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NEWS IN BRIEF |
WWF workshop
WWF marine team members from Japan, Fiji, Indonesia and Hong Kong gathered at the WWF Vietnam office in Hanoi recently for a three day MSC workshop. The MSC's Asia Pacific team ran sessions aimed at enabling WWF staff to be effective voices for the MSC as part of their work with community based fisheries in Australasia.
New reports on sustainable fishing
Two new reports have been published in the UK recommending the MSC as a good way for consumers to identify seafood from a sustainable source. Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel was published by Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, and Fishing for Good was published by Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity. Meanwhile Greenpeace UK published A recipe for Disaster: Supermarkets' Insatiable Appetite for Seafood which recommends supporting the MSC in its 'Model fish sourcing policy for supermarkets'.
www.sustainweb.org
www.forumforthefuture.org.uk
www.greenpeace.org.uk
Win a ticket to the UK's biggest food show
Following a very popular and crowded MSC stand at the UK Organic Food Festival in September, we will be returning to the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham, UK, in November to raise awareness of our eco-label among British consumers and fish lovers. We have a free pair of tickets to give away to the first person to email our office with the correct answer to the following question: Which fishery was the first to receive MSC certification? Send your answer to info@msc.org.
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| INSIDE MSC |
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New members for Technical Advisory Board
The MSC's Technical Advisory Board (TAB), which advises the MSC Board on matters such as the setting and review of the MSC Standard, has four new members. Jim Cannon, Henrik Gislason, Matthew Wenban-Smith and Dr Chang Zhang joined the TAB in October 2005. The MSC wishes to thank Dr Stephen Hall, Dr Gerd Hubold, Dr Kuperan Viswanathan and Mike Weber for their terms as TAB members.
Changing faces and roles
The MSC's former Fishery Assessment Manager, Rich Lincoln, has taken over the role of International Policy Director, previously held by Chris Grieve. Ms Grieve becomes Associate Director of the MSC. Recent recruits to the MSC are Laura Stewart (Fish&Kids project), Jeremy Anglin (Financial Director) and Marnie Bammert (Communications Officer), Nerida Hicks (Admin Manager - Asia Pacific office). Lynette Dundas is temporary PA to the Chief Executive. Thank you to Anna Broda and Camiel Derichs for working as interns at the MSC over the summer 2005.
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| MEET THE TEAM |
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23-27 November: BBC Good Food Show, Birmingham, UK.
The MSC returns to this huge consumer event to engage the public and generate support.
info@msc.org
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Hastings fishery certified
The mackerel, herring and Dover sole fisheries of one of the UK's most historic fishing towns, Hastings, has been awarded the MSC's certificate for sustainable and well managed fisheries. This brings the total number of certified fisheries worldwide to 14, six in the UK. The announcement was made on the first day of Seafood Week, a nationwide celebration of fishing and its benefits. Recognising the value of fishing to the local economy and cultural identity of the town, Hastings Borough Council joined forces with Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society to undergo the MSC assessment. The council recruited a Fishing-Sector Development Officer who worked with the fishermen to help them attain MSC certification, and will now focus on developing new markets locally, nationally and internationally, in retail outlets and restaurants. |
Local representative of the Hastings fishing fleet commented that the MSC certification gave important recognition to their sustainable fishing practices. |
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EU moves on eco-labelling
The European Commission is developing an official position on fisheries eco-labelling, which could eventually become policy throughout the European Union's 25 member states. The draft position, currently under discussion, includes several options ranging from low to high levels of regulation. The MSC welcomed the EU's initiative and is supporting the development of minimum guidelines for EU fisheries eco-labelling, in line with the recent UN Food and Agriculture Organisation guidelines. This would help protect consumers within the EU from misleading environmental claims on fish and seafood products, and would encourage independent, transparent and accountable eco-labels in the fisheries sector. |
Joe Borg, EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, has a vision of a "competitive, prosperous and responsible" fisheries sector. |
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Environmental benefits
With anecdotal evidence of ecological benefits being reported in certified fisheries, the MSC has embarked on a significant research project that will help us identify and substantiate environmental improvements resulting from sustainable management practices. Gathering and analysing this important data is a major scientific task, and the MSC has commissioned a team of experts from the Marine Resources Assessment Group (MRAG) to work with. The aim is to examine ten certified fisheries for significant environmental issues that lend themselves to a trend analysis demonstrating improvements. The project team will also report on qualitative evidence. As the first part of a two-year programme to develop formal environmental metrics for certified fisheries, this first stage should be complete early in 2006. |
Environmental concerns motivate consumers to purchase eco-labelled products, and the MSC is seeking to demonstrate the positive impacts of fishery certification. |
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All hands on deck!
Fifty-four contemporary artists have donated beautiful and intriguing pieces of art to create this unique deck of transformation playing cards for the MSC. Each card has a different design, but the artists have kept the spade, heart, diamond and club symbols in their traditional positions. The result is a highly unusual and visually enchanting set of transformation playing cards. Each pack is being sold for £5 (please contact us for other currencies) and proceeds from the sale of the cards go to the MSC's vital work. Send your pre-orders now to ensure delivery before the holiday season - these cards make a fantastic marine-themed corporate or personal gift! |
Download an order form for these unique MSC playing cards. Corporate discounts available.
www.msc.org. |
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Quality and consistency in fishery assessments
External consultation on the scope of the MSC's Quality and Consistency project was completed at the end of October. The project aims to improve the quality and consistency of interpreting and applying the MSC's Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing during the fishery assessment process. Workshops to progress the project further will be held over the coming months. If you are interested in participating, please contact Dr Nola Barker for further information.
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High quality scientific information is one element of the assessment process. |
New supplier in Asia
GoldenFresh, a leading Malaysian food processing and value adding company became the first in South East Asia to receive Chain of Custody certification from the MSC recently. Chain of Custody certification ensures companies are complying with our traceability requirements so that any fish sold withe the MSC eco-label can be traced back through the supply chain to a certified fishery. GoldenFresh has supplied quality seafood to the Wimbledon tennis championships and the Sydney Olympics, amongst others.
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Left to right: Frazer McGilvray, the MSC's Regional Manager for East Asia, presents the Chain of Custody certificate to Saw Hai Earn, Golden Fresh Chief Executive . |
Fish & Kids
Families and children are about to become more aware of the problems of overfishing and what to do about it. The MSC's Fish & Kids project, announced in January, will encourage MSC-labelled seafood to be served in schools and family restaurants in England and promote sustainable seafood product diversity by working with the foodservice industry. The project will give children, teachers, parents and caterers the opportunity to find out why choosing sustainable seafood is vital for the future of fish, fishing communities and the environment. Watch this space for more information. |
The Fish & Kids project will make MSC-labelled sustainable seafood more easily available in schools and family restaurants. |
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Latest product news
The summer was dominated in Europe by the rollout of Unilever's new MSC-labelled Alaska pollock products under the Iglo brand. Iglo fishfingers marked with the MSC eco-label are now widely available in Germany, Austria, The Netherlands and Belgium, in addition to other popular products. In France, Monoprix launched its first own-label fish product to carry the MSC mark - Coeurs de filet de Merlu blanc du Cap 400g. In the UK, Sainsbury's is now offering its customers Wild Alaskan salmon fishcakes in addition to the ten other MSC-labelled products on its shelves. For full details see Where to Buy on our web site. |
The MSC eco-label is highly visible on the new Iglo fishfingers being rolled out across Europe. |
Annual Report
The 2004/05 Annual Report for the MSC is now available on our web site and will be distributed to many of our contacts by post in the coming fortnight. If you would like a copy and have not received one by mid November, please contact us to request one. In addition to presenting the organisation's financial report for April 2004 to March 2005, the Annual Report reviews some of the highlights of the MSC's achievements. |
The MSC's Annual Report will be distributed in early November. |
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