Sustainable Seafood Day, an annual initiative by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), takes place on Friday 31 March 2017.
Do as seafood lovers do: choose the blue
Sustainable Seafood Day celebrates the commitments made to date by government, industry, partners, non government organisations and all those involved along the seafood supply chain. It also encourages Australians to do their part to ensure our oceans are teeming with life for generations to come, by choosing the blue MSC label when buying seafood.
85% of Australians purchase seafood regularly, consuming on average 18.7kg of seafood per year.
"Australia is certainly a country of seafood and ocean lovers. We are lucky to have vast and beautiful oceans that contain important natural and biological resources. They supply food, play a significant role in determining our climate, and are fundamental to our national identity. By choosing MSC certified seafood, both organisations and consumers are making the best choice for the environment and industry alike," comments Anne Gabriel, MSC Oceania Program Director.
"With the global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and ever increasing demands for food, it’s vital that marine habitats are protected by maintaining environmentally sustainable, productive fisheries" says
Jo-anne McCrea, WWF Australian Fisheries and Seafood Manager.
"The engagements and initiatives with leading organizations such as Coles, John West, IKEA, Woolworths and many more as we progress will transform the consumer landscape while emboldening fisheries to continue their journey in sustainable practices. 75% of Australian seafood consumers believe that in order to save the ocean, we have to consume fish and seafood only from sustainable sources and 36% of Australians say they are purchasing more eco-labelled products than a year ago. We are moving in the right direction - we encourage Australians to keep voting with their wallets and choose the blue MSC ecolabel this Sustainable Seafood Day and beyond," adds Gabriel.
MSC recently challenged two well-known personalities Andy Allen - Chef & Co-Owner Three Blue Ducks Rosebery, and Scott Gooding - Author and Health Coach, to a sustainable seafood cooking competition on board an MSC certified Walker Seafoods’ fishing vessel. While cooking for local celebrity judges including the owner of the fishery, a local MP and restaurateur, both chefs agreed that ecolabeling is the future of the seafood industry.
"Seafood plays a big role in my cooking, so it’s important to me to choose it from the best source possible. The easiest way to do that is by looking for the blue MSC label," said Andy Allen.
"Seafood plays such an important part in our diet as a clean, sustainable protein. I want my son to experience the same variety in fish sources and seafood that I’ve had," said Scott Gooding.
If you care about the future of our oceans too, MSC is asking you to ‘do as seafood lovers do, choose the blue’ this Sustainable Seafood Day, Friday 31 March 2017.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation which runs a standard and ecolabeling program for wild-capture seafood to help keep ocean’s healthy. Currently, 16% of commercial wild caught seafood in Australia is MSC certified, while more than 20,000 seafood products carry the MSC ecolabel around the world.
More info
For ideas and recipes to celebrate the day visit our Sustainable Seafood Day Australia 2017 page >