March 25, 2012 – Europe's largest eco-labelled fisheries are to lose their environmental accreditation this week after the Faroes and Iceland breached strict limits on quotas for mackerel, putting stocks at severe risk of over-fishing.
The Marine Stewardship Council confirmed that it would suspend its accreditation for eight mackerel fisheries on 31 March, after the European Union failed to persuade the Faroese and Icelandic governments to cut their catches last month.
The MSC's decision will mean that all the accredited North Sea and Atlantic mackerel fisheries will lose their "blue swoosh" eco-label, a measure that will affect 1,400 fresh, smoked, tinned and frozen eco-labelled products sold across Europe. Any mackerel landed in Europe from 31 March will not be allowed to use it.
Read the complete story from The Guardian.