Saving Seafood

Consumers are demanding more sustainable seafood — and it’s working

June 30, 2021 — American shoppers cruising down the seafood aisle — even those hundreds of miles away from a working coastline — are increasingly concerned about the health of the ocean.

The decline of fish populations and ocean health is the sixth highest environmental concern worldwide, but Americans prioritize it even higher — ranking ocean health as their third highest environmental concern, according to 2020 survey conducted by independent research and strategy consultancy, Globescan.

Love for the ocean is translating into a desire to protect it — especially when Americans go to the grocery store. Consumers are ready to go to bat for sustainable seafood and companies that prove their willingness to protect the ocean.

Some 57 percent of 19,000 consumers surveyed in the United States and Canada are willing to change their buying habits to reduce their impact on the environment, according to a survey conducted by IBM and The National Retail Federation in 2020. The same is true of seafood buyers: According to the 2020 Globescan survey, 55 percent of U.S. seafood consumers agreed that in order to protect the ocean, fish and seafood should be consumed only from sustainable sources. Furthermore, the study found 65 percent of Americans believe supermarkets should remove all unsustainable fish and seafood products from their shelves.

When shoppers are standing in grocery stores, how do they know the full story behind the seafood in front of them? Oftentimes, they look for eco-labels, a third-party label or logo which identifies products proven to be environmentally preferable, which have proliferated in recent decades. The Globescan study found that 64 percent of Americans believe retailers’ and brands’ claims about sustainability and the environment need to be clearly labeled by an independent organization.

Read the full story at Grist

Latest MSC survey highlights “generational shift” in consumer sentiment

November 11, 2020 — A new far-reaching survey by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and prepared by GlobeScan is indicating a generational shift in how consumers in North America view sustainability when they go to purchase seafood.

The survey – part of a biannual effort by the MSC – surveyed more than 4,000 seafood consumers in North America, and finding that seafood sustainability is increasingly important to consumers across all generations, but is most important to those between 18 to 34 years old.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Dive into October National Seafood Month with the Marine Stewardship Council’s New Educational Guide to Sustainable Seafood

October 1, 2020 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a nonprofit whose sole mission is to end overfishing, today released a new resource designed to help Americans choose seafood that is “Good for you and the ocean too.” The MSC Blue Fish Guide, a digital guidebook available on the MSC-North America website, is a helpful resource for Americans who want to add more seafood to their diets without costing the planet. The Guide’s release is timely with Seafood Month but also because according to a 2020 global study conducted by an independent research and strategy consultancy, GlobeScan, and commissioned by MSC, 55% of U.S. seafood consumers believe  that we must consume seafood only from sustainable sources to protect the ocean. Furthermore, 64% of Americans want retailers’ and brands’ claims about sustainability and the environment to be clearly labeled by an independent organization, such as the MSC.

The MSC Blue Fish Guide helps consumers navigate the sustainable seafood landscape so they can make decisions that are both ocean friendly and dinner friendly. Included in the Guide are visuals showing where to look for sustainable seafood in the grocery store; an introduction to seafood certifications and ratings; information about different fish species; great ways to cook your favorite fish and more.

“The MSC Blue Fish Guide provides a trustworthy resource for Americans wanting to add more ocean-friendly seafood choices to their diets,” said Brian Perkins, regional director for the Americas at the MSC Marine Stewardship Council. “The guide is easy to download or pull up on your phone so busy shoppers can reference it to make the best decision for their budget, taste preferences and the ocean. Navigating the waters becomes much easier when we can take shoppers on the ocean-to-plate journey, right in the palms of their hands.”

One-third of fisheries worldwide are unsustainably managed, which can ultimately lead to overfishing, increased bycatch, and other negative impacts on our ocean’s health (SOFIA 2020). But seafood that is certified sustainable and carries the MSC blue fish logo comes from healthy fish populations, keeps the marine environment intact, and is caught with oversight from regional and national management bodies. Americans rank concern over ocean health and the decline of fish populations third in their top environmental concerns, which is higher than the global average of sixth (GlobeScan). One third of Americans are also eating more seafood than they were five years ago (GlobeScan). With increased consumption comes increased responsibility – eating sustainably caught options helps to keep fish populations healthy and available for future generations of seafood lovers and for overall ocean health.

The MSC will continue to share educational, inspirational and entertaining content from the MSC Blue Fish Guide on social media all month long – all of which is aimed at raising awareness of the important role certified seafood plays in a healthy ocean, and deepening understanding of the MSC blue fish label. Shoppers can refer to the guide for species-specific information, recipes, to learn which aisles to shop and more through October Seafood Month and beyond.

World Oceans Day: Marine Stewardship Council Encourages Consumers to Look for the Blue Fish Label to Protect our Big Blue Future

June 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a non-profit whose sole mission is to make sure wild seafood is around forever, is celebrating UN World Oceans Day (June 8) by kicking off its ‘Little Blue Label, Big Blue Future’ campaign. Through aspirational messages and a compelling video, the eight-week MSC campaign runs the duration of US National Oceans Month and demonstrates how daily decisions as simple as meal planning impact the ocean and its inhabitants.

High levels of concern for our ocean are driving a new wave of consumer activism, new research for the MSC reveals, as consumers increasingly, ‘vote with their forks,’ to safeguard our ocean. Conducted by independent research and strategy consultancy, GlobeScan, the MSC recently conducted the largest survey of its kind involving more than 20,000 people across 23 countries. The survey revealed 65% of Americans believe supermarkets should remove all unsustainable fish and seafood products from their shelves. 

“More than ever, we see an increased passion from consumers and companies alike to take steps that protect the ocean, including choosing sustainable seafood,” said Brian Perkins, regional director for the Americas at the MSC. “The MSC has been on a mission to end overfishing for more than 20 years. In honor of World Oceans Day and National Oceans Month this year, we’re asking Americans to keep our ocean healthy for future generations by shopping sustainably when buying seafood and other products. The little choices we make have a big ripple effect.”
 
Monday, June 8 is World Oceans Day, the United Nations day observed in 140 countries to celebrate the role of the ocean in our everyday life and to inspire action to protect and sustainably use marine resources. The ocean contains up to 80% of life on Earth. However, a third of fisheries around the world have been fished beyond sustainable limits, and a further 60% are fished to their maximum capacity. Because seafood provides an important source of protein to more than 3 billion people on our planet, it’s crucial to adopt habits that ensure the ocean and seafood will be around for generations to come.
 
“Though some of us might live far from saltwater, our lives on land are intrinsically tied to our ocean through the choices we make, particularly when we’re choosing to eat seafood,” said Gabby Petrelli, conservation action coordinator at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and lead for Shedd’s Sustainable Seafood Program. “At Shedd Aquarium, we’re studying vulnerable fisheries in the Caribbean to help inform better management practices. Locally, we empower consumers and restaurants to make choices that keep the future of our big blue planet in mind and preserve the habitats of our beloved penguins, whales and sharks in the wild.”
 
In the same GlobeScan study, 55% of U.S. seafood consumers agreed that in order to protect the ocean, we have to consume fish and seafood only from sustainable sources.  
 
“One of the bright spots of this current global crisis is that the interest and willingness from consumers to try fish from a can is an at an all-time high, and many canned products are MSC certified sustainable options, too,” says Bart van Olphen, chef, author, sustainable fish advocate and founder of the Fish Tales brand. “There are so many delicious meals and snacks to be made with the varieties of canned fish, and people all over the world are experimenting not only with canned tuna, but also sardines, mackerel and salmon. My advice as people continue to expand their tinned fish repertoire is to look for the MSC blue fish label across every fish variety.”
 
To learn more about how we all can help protect our one shared ocean, and for additional recipes featuring delicious, sustainable seafood, visit the MSC US website and follow @MSCBlueFish on social media.

New survey shows little consumer preference between farmed and wild seafood

February 4, 2020 — More than half of seafood consumers in key markets don’t have a preference between wild and farmed fish, but they do want products that take a responsible approach to protecting both planet and people, a new survey conducted on behalf of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) found.

Carried out by market researcher GlobeScan, the ASC’s survey questioned more than 7,000 seafood eaters across Germany, France, The Netherlands, China, Japan, Canada, and the United States. It learned that while there were strong variations between countries in terms of seafood consumption and frequency, there was “generally high” support around the world for better protection of the environment and workers when it comes to food production.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MSC: “Life Below Water” lagging behind other Sustainable Development Goals

November 19, 2018 — In an effort to spotlight marine conservation and the millions of livelihoods that depend on seafood around the world, the Marine Stewardship Council and research consultancy firm GlobeScan have teamed up with Nomad Foods Europe to host a text-based discussion surrounding “Life Below Water” – one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

“Life Below Water” refers to Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 (SDG14), which focuses on ending overfishing, restoring fish stocks, protecting ecosystems, and eliminating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

As with each of the other Sustainable Development Goals, SDG14 is ultimately aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all. However, unlike its counterparts, prioritization of “Life Under Water” and SDG14 is universally lacking, recent findings from multiple surveys suggest.

For instance, just 5.4 percent of the 3,500 respondents participating in AidData’s 2017 Listening to Leaders Survey said SDG14 was among their top six priorities. Findings from GlobeScan’s separate survey of 500-plus sustainability experts across governments, NGOs, the commercial sector, and academia tell a similar story: When asked to rank the Sustainable Development Goals in order of importance, respondents placed SDG14 last on the list.

“Life Below Water” shouldn’t keep flying under the radar, according to the MSC, GlobeScan, and Nomad Foods, which is why the  collective will focus on SDG14 during its upcoming SDG Leadership Forum taking place on Wednesday, 28 November.

Read the full story at Seafood Source