We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Conservation

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What does Marine Stewardship Council Certification Mean?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Jun 04, 2024
Views: 6,828
Share

The Marine Stewardship Council is an international organization based in London that aims to promote healthy and sustainable fisheries. As part of its healthy fishery program, the Marine Stewardship Council offers certification to fisheries and has an extensive education campaign to encourage consumers to think about the source of their fish. Marine Stewardship Council certification is the result of a series of inspections and continued monitoring, and indicates to consumers that the marine product they are purchasing was produced with healthy and sustainable aims in mind.

Overfishing only became recognized as a serious problem in the 1980s, when many formerly plentiful fisheries began to experience serious declines in stocks. A number of species, including orange roughy and Chilean sea bass, had been driven to the brink of extinction by heavy fishing practices. In addition to endangering the marine environment, overfishing also hurt small fishing operations, which could not afford deep dredging factory ships to get at dwindling fish stocks.

The Marine Stewardship Council arose in response to this issue, in an effort to convince individual consumers that they could help to assure the health of the marine environment. The Marine Stewardship Council was established in 1997 as a cooperative venture between Unilver, one of the world's largest producers of seafood products, and the World Wildlife Federation. In 1999, the Marine Stewardship Council became an independent organization and achieved nonprofit status.

The Marine Stewardship Council believes that consumers are concerned about overfishing, not least because it affects the price of fish at the table. As a result, the council rewards sustainable fishing with labeling that indicates the fish has come from a Marine Stewardship Council certified fishery. The Marine Stewardship Council uses third party organizations called certification bodies to inspect, monitor, and certify fisheries. Fisheries interested in Marine Stewardship Council certification apply voluntarily for inspection and agree to abide by certain principles in return for certification.

Marine Stewardship Council certification begins with the overall condition of the fish stock. It must be determined whether there are enough healthy fish in a range of ages for fishing to be sustainable. If this criterion is satisfied, the certification body looks at the impact of the fishery on the marine environment, including other species of fish, mammals, and plants in the vicinity. Finally, the Marine Stewardship Council looks at fishery practices, including policies, management procedures, and education. If the criteria are satisfied, the fishery will be certified.

Consumers can look for the distinctive blue label with a white check mark on fish products to see if they are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. In addition, they can participate in educational programs such as Seafood Watch, sponsored in part by the council. Using information provided about which fish are sustainable to eat, consumers can make informed choices about their food and the impact it has on the marine environment.

Share
All Things Nature is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a All Things Nature researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.allthingsnature.org/what-does-marine-stewardship-council-certification-mean.htm
Copy this link
All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.