Enjoying prawns at Christmas | Marine Stewardship Council

In Australia, it’s estimated we eat a staggering 40% of all prawns at Christmas time. Fortunately, over half of all wild-caught Australian prawns are already certified as sustainable to the MSC environmental standard for sustainable fishing.

Why is it important to purchase sustainable prawns?

Purchasing sustainable prawns means you are helping to ensure plentiful supplies for future generations, and what would a future Christmas without seafood be like!

A third of all fish populations are overfished. With a growing world population, we need to fish sustainably. Your choice encourages more fisheries to voluntarily improve their fishing and become certified as sustainable.

That’s why we are calling on all Australians to help safeguard prawns for future Christmases by shopping sustainably and looking for the MSC blue fish tick label in store and talking to your seafood retailer.

How do I know if my Christmas prawns are sustainable?

Sustainable seafood, like prawns, have been caught at a level where they’ll be around in the future. Just look for the MSC blue fish tick.

Choose sustainable seafood

Discover where sustainable prawns come from

Prawns with the blue fish tick are traceable to an MSC certified sustainable prawn fishery.

In Australia, the following leading Australian fisheries are certified as sustainable to the MSC Fisheries Standard.

We think that’s a cause for celebration.

Dive into the incredible stories of these four pioneering Aussie prawn fisheries

Videos courtesy of Australian Wild Prawns.

Where to buy sustainable prawns for Christmas

Sustainable prawns have been caught in a way that means there’s plenty more in the sea now and in the future. You'll find sustainable prawns with the blue fish tick in the chilled and frozen aisles of your local supermarket and specialist fish shop.

Here's a list of MSC certified sustainable prawns available to buy in Australia

Find out more about where to buy MSC certified sustainable seafood with the blue fish tick.

Do sustainable prawns cost more?

The bigger question is can we afford not to buy sustainable? As with anything if demand increases and supplies dwindle, the price will increase. If we want to continue eating prawns at an affordable price in the future, we must act now. Sustainable prawns are available at a range of prices that are good for your pocket and the ocean too. Shop around and look for the blue fish tick to be sure you’re buying sustainably.

Tips for cooking and peeling prawns

Get the most out of your prawns. By reducing waste and making use of the whole prawn, you'll get better value for money.

Many of us like to 'throw a shrimp on the barbie' at Christmas. Find out how to BBQ prawns in our handy guide to barbecuing prawns and lobster. Plus, tips and hacks on how to make use of the whole prawn including using the prawn shells and prawn heads for stock.

We've also teamed up with MasterChef 2019 winner, Larissa Takchi who demonstrates how to peel a prawn in 20 seconds.

Enjoy a delicious Christmas prawn recipe

Browse our delicious sustainable prawn recipes created by chefs from around the world, including mouth-watering BBQ prawns, cold starters like a classic prawn cocktail and prawn salads, prawn curries, prawn toasts, prawn crackers, prawn spring rolls, prawn sandwiches and more.