Sustainable fishing means leaving enough fish in the ocean and protecting habitats and threatened species. By safeguarding the oceans, people who depend on fishing can maintain their livelihoods.
Measuring sustainability
The sustainability of a fishery can be assessed regardless of its size, geography or the fishing method used. Our Fisheries Standard is a science-based way to measure that sustainability. When fisheries are independently assessed to the standard, three main principles are considered:
The three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard
Sustainability is about the future
The sustainability of a fishery is an ongoing process. After they are MSC certified, fisheries are regularly reassessed and many are required to make further improvements. Scientific knowledge also improves all the time and fisheries are encouraged to develop new ways of conserving marine resources for future generations.
Find out more about the MSC Fisheries Standard on our main website.
What does the blue MSC ecolabel mean?
The blue MSC ecolabel is only applied to wild fish or seafood from fisheries certified to the MSC standard, a scientific measure of sustainable fishing.
Our approach
Our approach means you can enjoy seafood now while ensuring safe stocks for future generations.
Fisheries improving
As well as fishing healthy populations, fisheries must show they are managing their impacts on habitats and other marine species.