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Welcome! You’re here because you want to incorporate seafood into a balanced diet for you and your family—without negatively impacting our ocean and the diverse creatures that call it home. How do you do that without compromising on morals or health? Choosing seafood that is sustainable is a win-win for people and planet, but what does “sustainability” even mean? Generally, seafood is considered “sustainable” if it is caught or farmed in a way that keeps the marine environment intact, comes from a healthy population of fish, and is caught with oversight from regional and national management bodies. We’re here to show that you can consume seafood mindfully, creating meals that are good for you, good for your family, and good for the planet with one simple action: choose certified sustainable seafood.
This MSC Blue Fish Guide will serve as a compass on your journey, leading you to seafood choices that are good for you and the ocean, too. Let’s begin!
The choices we make have a ripple effect. The tuna we choose can encourage more ocean-friendly fishing practices. The shellfish we share with friends can help safeguard a species. That’s why it’s critical to look for the MSC Blue Fish Label every time you shop for seafood.When you see the MSC blue fish label, you can purchase the seafood knowing that it’s:
It’s a clear win-win for your family and the ocean.
To be sold with the MSC blue fish label, seafood must come from a fishery certified to the internationally recognized MSC Fisheries Standard – a set of science-based criteria that verifies how sustainable and ocean-friendly a fishery is. The standard is developed in partnership with a wide range of top experts in their respective fields, including scientists, the fishing industry, conservation groups, and others.
There are several fail-safes, including mandatory third-party accreditation and fish DNA testing, in place to ensure that the MSC stays impartial and fair throughout the process and to verify that the system works.
In short, you can feel comfortable trusting the MSC Blue Fish Label because it is a scientifically-backed mark that you’re purchasing and consuming certified sustainable seafood.
The MSC blue fish label is likely hiding in plain sight in your local grocery store–once you see it for the first time, you might start noticing it on a wide variety of products!
In case you need a little help getting started, try looking for it in the following places:
How do you know what to look for when you’re shopping for sustainable seafood? What do the logos on seafood products and restaurant menus mean? Or, what do you do when there is no logo and you want to be sure you’re making a good choice for the ocean? Seafood certification and ratings programs are two reliable ways to trust that you’re making an ocean-friendly choice when buying fish and other seafood products. Both serve important roles in driving a more transparent seafood supply chain and encouraging companies to make continuous improvements toward sustainability. They’re independent from seafood brands, retailers or restaurants, but work with them to keep them accountable and responsible.
1. Ask the store/restaurant if they sell sustainable seafood: It always helps to ask – you might be surprised to find sustainable seafood hiding in plain sight. If a store or restaurant isn’t serving sustainable seafood yet, your question could prompt them to start! 2. Check the logos on packaging, menus, and grocery store signage: Look for a logo on product packaging or menu that indicates environmental sustainability or responsible farming from an independent organization. For example, when you see the MSC blue fish logo, you can be sure that a specific seafood item is wild-caught, certified sustainable, traceable through the supply chain, and fighting seafood fraud and mislabeling. 3. Look for sustainable seafood ratings: If a product isn’t certified, ratings can indicate whether your choice is ocean-friendly. For example, the Seafood Watch ratings show you which species are “Best Choice”, “Good Alternative” and which you should “Avoid” according to environmental indicators.
Certifications and ratings can apply to both wild-caught and farmed fish.
Seafood lovers rejoice there are plenty of delicious and sustainable versions of your favorite seafood staple out there! Take a deep dive into sustainable seafood—including their origins, best preparation methods, and more, with our species-specific pages:
You’re looking for the MSC blue fish when shopping for seafood–yay! Every time you choose wild-caught seafood, you’re opting into a source of protein with a low carbon footprint and doing your part to halt climate change. Want to take your ocean-friendly journey to the next level?
Here are just a few simple steps:
Start a conversation – It takes a village to make change happen. Let your friends and family know why it’s important to look for the MSC blue fish label on their next shopping trip, and how it can protect ocean health. Join the sustainable seafood conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or by using the #FeelGoodSeafood hashtag.
Diversify your palate – One of the best ways to help maintain healthy fish stocks is to diversify the type of seafood you enjoy. Intimidated by the thought of preparing unknown seafood dishes? We’ve got you covered.
Consume Responsibly Farmed Seafood, too – Look for this label from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to know that you’re choosing responsibly farmed seafood (& seaweed!)
Introduce other ocean-friendly practices – While the MSC is dedicated to ending overfishing, we understand that there are other issues our ocean faces, including pollution and climate change. Explore five simple actions you can take to live a more ocean-friendly life.
It can be easy to get lost in the sea of words and phrases related to certified sustainable seafood. Steer your ship in the right direction with this glossary of terms.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a global, science-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending overfishing and safeguarding our oceans for generations to come.
Read more: What is the MSC?
The MSC blue fish label is a visual marker on seafood products in the grocery store, at select restaurants, and through your local fish counter that signifies that an item is certified sustainable seafood.
Only seafood from fisheries that meet our strict standard for sustainability can be sold with the MSC blue fish label. It's our way of making sure you know that your seafood purchase is good for the oceans because it's wild, sustainable, and traceable through our Chain of Custody (CoC).
Learn more about the blue fish label
The MSC Fisheries Standard is used to assess if a fishery is well-managed and sustainable. The Standard reflects the most up-to-date understanding of internationally accepted fisheries science and management. The Standard is reviewed and developed in consultation with scientists, the fishing industry, and conservation groups. Certification to the MSC Fisheries Standard is voluntary. It’s open to all fisheries who catch marine or freshwater organisms in the wild. This includes most types of fish and shellfish. Fisheries are assessed by accredited, third-party independent certifiers called Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) or certification bodies. When a fishery is successfully certified to the Fisheries Standard, its certified catch can be sold with the MSC blue fish label. A fishery certified against the MSC standard must meet the following three principles:
The MSC Fishery Standard is reviewed every five years.
Learn more about the MSC Fisheries Standard
Generally, seafood is considered “sustainable” if it is caught or farmed in a way that keeps the marine environment intact, comes from a healthy population of fish, and is caught with oversight from regional and national management bodies.
Learn more about the history of the sustainable seafood movement
A fishery or commercial body that meets an MSC standard (Fisheries and Chain of Custody, respectively), can achieve certification. The MSC does not certify any participant; rather, third-party, independent assessors are used to keep the standard impartial and fair.
Certification to the Fisheries standard is voluntary. It is also voluntary for the Chain of Custody (CoC); however, if a brand, retailer, or restaurant would like to claim that an item is MSC certified or use the MSC blue fish label, they must have a valid CoC certification.
Sustainability rating programs, like Monterey Bay's Seafood Watch, are recommendations to help consumers choose seafood that's fished or farmed in ways that have less impact on the environment.
Rating systems specifically apply to whole species versus individual fish stocks.
The population (or total mass) of a fishery resource.
In terms of the MSC program, fish stock specifically refers to the population that is under assessment for certification.
From ScienceDaily: A fishery is an organized effort by humans to catch fish or other aquatic species.
Fisheries in the MSC program are committed to effective management, responsible fishing practices, and minimal environmental impact.
Commercial Fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit.
Fisheries that participate in the MSC program are commercial fisheries and can be large, medium, or small in size.
Recreational Fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for pleasure, fun, or non-commercial reasons.
Recreational fishers are not eligible to participate in the MSC program.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing takes place when vessels or fishermen operate outside the laws of a fishery or nation. It is often conducted without concern for marine life or the environment. IUU fishing threatens the sustainability of fish populations, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of those who fish legally.
The MSC program helps to drive out IUU fishing by disqualifying fisheries if they systematically engage in IUU fishing or where IUU fishing by others is having a negative impact on the sustainability of the overall fishery.
Destructive fishing comes in many forms and is still practiced in some parts of the world. Cyanide fishing is a method where fishermen use cyanide to stun the fish, making them easier to catch. In other regions, some fishermen use explosives to kill fish so they float to the surface and are easy to collect. In addition to harming fish populations, marine habitats can be negatively impacted by destructive fishing practices.
Destructive fishing methods are not allowed in the MSC program.
Bycatch refers to the incidental capture of non-target species (those species that the fishery did not intend to catch).
To be MSC certified, fishing activity must not have a long-term detrimental impact on the population of any marine species. Conditions set on MSC certified fisheries have resulted in significant reductions to the level of bycatch worldwide.
Fisheries within the MSC program are required to regularly review alternative bycatch mitigation measures, and to implement them when appropriate.
Learn more about how DNA testing helps fight seafood fraud.
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