A new report published by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) shows how effective management and improvements made by MSC certified fisheries are delivering measurable, positive impacts in the oceans, from reducing bycatch to advancing scientific understanding of marine environments.
Since 2010, the volume of global wild seafood catch that is MSC certified has almost doubled from 5% (4,541,358 tonnes) to 9.4% (8,821,221 tonnes) in 2015. Across 33 countries, 281 fisheries are now independently certified to the world’s most recognised and credible standard for sustainable fishing.
The 2016 Global Impacts Report (PDF) provides a quantitative analysis of the progress made by MSC certified fisheries since the MSC program began and highlights the significant improvements made over the last five years.
Reducing Environmental Impacts
MSC data show that over the course of their certification, 94% of certified fisheries are required to make at least one improvement to strengthen or further monitor the sustainability of their operations in order to maintain their certificate. By end of 2015, 281 fisheries had made 876 improvements, with many more being developed.
The report points to advances in technology, research and management that are enabling smarter and more selective fishing In the southern Indian Ocean, for instance, measures implemented by the certified Kerguelen toothfish fishery have dramatically reduced the number of seabirds accidentally caught on longlines, with just three grey petrel mortalities reported last year. In the certified Louisiana blue crab fishery, almost 25,000 derelict crab traps have been removed, minimising the risk of ghost-fishing to vulnerable terrapin species.
Fish Stocks
The report also explores the sustainability of fish stocks in northern Europe over the past 14 years and reveals that the biomass, or abundance, of fish stocks that went on to become MSC certified increased more than that of uncertified stocks. In contrast, uncertified stocks in Europe show much greater variability in terms of biomass and fishing pressure, with the average fishing effort remaining too high to ensure productive fish stocks.
Growing Demand for Sustainable Seafood
MSC certified fisheries are supported by a growing demand for sustainable seafood and for fish carrying the MSC ecolabel, and by the fast-growing number of businesses in the seafood supply chain who are certified to buy and sell MSC fish. The number of MSC Chain of Custody holders has tripled over the last five years, from 1,099 in 2010 to almost 3,000 in 2015, and these are present in 78 countries around the world.
The location of MSC fisheries, processors and certified products reflects the global nature of the seafood industry. China ranks amongst the countries with the highest number of Chain of Custody certificates, with these overwhelmingly in the processing sector, while certified fisheries are concentrated in North America and Europe.
