The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Australian chefs are calling on consumers to purchase wild-caught sustainable seafood.
This coincides with the release of new national research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the MSC.
According to the findings, 67% of the respondents plan to enjoy prawns this Christmas. Less than half of them (44%) say they plan to make a sustainable choice.
The study reveals that not knowing how to tell if it is wild-caught and sustainable (45%), or what to look for (40%) were key reasons why half of the Aussie seafood lovers surveyed still believe it is difficult to purchase wild-caught sustainable seafood.
Concerns around price (58%), provenance (37%), availability (36%) and environmental issues (27%) are also playing into consumers’ minds when it comes to their seafood orders.
Festive choices
46% of the respondents have placed prawns high on the list of go-to festive dishes, topped only by ham (48%).
Other options like lobster (27%) and salmon (25%) are also popular choices.
Lobster on the rise
The MSC says lobster became even more popular last year.
This year, according to the research, 39% of respondents state that they are more likely to buy wild-caught sustainable lobster this Christmas than in previous years.
“Aussies have much to be proud about as they choose to savour Western Australia’s Western Rock Lobster, which comes from the very first MSC certified fishery in the world,” says the MSC.
Identifying wild-caught seafood
The MSC blue fish tick label is applied to wild-caught seafood from fisheries that have been independently certified to the MSC Fisheries Standard.
Fisheries are assessed by accredited independent certifiers, using three core principles:
- Sustainable fish stocks
- Minimising environmental impact
- Effective fisheries management
“With almost half of Australia’s wild catch certified as sustainable to an international, science based standard, the local fishing community depend on consumers and businesses to make the right choices so they can continue their commitment to sustainability and continuous improvements,” says MSC Oceania Program Director Anne Gabriel.
“Summer and the year-end holiday season is the perfect time for Aussies to show their support by choosing products with the MSC blue fish tick, available in leading supermarkets and retailers.”
Sustainable seafood recipes
Chefs Courtney Roulston and Guy Turland have teamed up with the MSC to encourage the nation to come together and enjoy a seafood meal this summer.
The chefs have released a series of sustainable seafood recipes. They hope to raise awareness of the importance of making choices that matter into the future.
For the recipes or to find out more about sustainable seafood, visit msc.org/en-au.