International non-profit organisation, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), this week launched Australia’s first ever Sustainable Seafood Week (March 12 – 18), supported by several big name brands such as IKEA, Coles and John West, to encourage Australians to opt for sustainably caught seafood for their meals.
The week has been created by MSC to encourage Australian consumers and businesses to support keeping oceans ‘Forever Wild’ and teeming with life, while also ensuring future seafood supplies for generations to come.
MSC has set the standard for fisheries across the globe with the world’s most recognised certification program for sustainable, wild caught seafood – the blue fish tick of approval. By sourcing seafood products that bear the MSC blue fish tick of approval, companies small and large can help keep our oceans teeming with life for future generations.
IKEA Australia Food Manager Ivana Frost said we are committed to offering delicious, healthy food at affordable prices for everyone, as well as providing food that is sustainably produced, with good animal welfare practices.
“We are one of very few major retailers who sell seafood that is certified by Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
That means the seafood we sell in IKEA restaurants and through our Swedish Food Markets is 100% sustainably sourced, and sold to 600 million food customers globally,” said Ms Frost.
MSC’s Oceania Program Director, Anne Gabriel, said the ability to choose certified sustainable seafood in Australia has never been easier.
“Around 75% of the population believe we should only be consuming sustainably sourced seafood, however, many Australians are unaware of how to identify these products,” said Mrs Gabriel.
“With the MSC blue fish tick, consumers, caterers, cafes and retailers can easily identify sustainably sourced products for purchase, empowering them to make the right decision to keep our marine life, forever wild.
Celebrity chef and MSC Ambassador, Scott Gooding, says Sustainable Seafood Week is a great way to encourage both consumers and those within the hospitality and food industry to incorporate sustainable seafood products into their everyday meals.
“As a chef, I’m passionate about not only what’s served on a plate, but also how it got there. Food traceability is very important and to me, living healthily and eating well starts with knowing where our food comes from,” said Scott.
“Sustainable Seafood Week is the perfect way to showcase to those within the food industry how to prepare delicious seafood dishes using sustainably sourced seafood, all of which can be easily replicated in the kitchen.”
Around one billion people depend on seafood as a primary source of protein, mostly in the developing world. Australians are lucky to have a variety of certified sustainable seafood to choose from to do its part to keep oceans healthy and ensure seafood supplies remain strong for generations to come.