UK retailer Waitrose has this week helped the Marine Stewardship Council to tip the balance on 9,000 ecolabelled products worldwide. The 9,000th product – is MSC ecolabelled Waitrose Oat Crumbed Scottish Mackerel Fillets. The mackerel is sourced from the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group western mackerel fishery, certified in 2008.
Fishermen committed to sustainable fishing
John Goodlad, Chairman of the SPSG, said: “The MSC certification is independent confirmation that the Scottish mackerel fishery is being managed in a sustainable and responsible way and that Scotland is helping to set the standard for well managed fisheries around the globe. MSC mackerel products sold in Waitrose are also a wonderful and tasty source of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids – all caught and processed in Scotland!
“SPSG are fully committed to the MSC process. As well as certification for western mackerel, we also hold MSC status for our North Sea and Atlanto-Scandian herring fisheries. West of Scotland herring is also currently under assessment and if successful, will mean we have more than 98% of the Scottish pelagic quota under MSC certification.”
Sustainable fish “Increasingly important”
Waitrose currently stocks over 30 MSC certified products ranging from South Africa hake fillets on the fish counter to luxury MSC certified Coquille Saint Jacques in the freezer department. Jeremy Langley, Waitrose Fish Buyer, said: “We are delighted to have played a role in helping the MSC to achieve this great result, which highlights how increasingly important it is to consumers and retailers alike that the fish they buy and sell is sustainable. Our Waitrose Sustainable Fishing Policy has been in place for over a decade and as part of this we have worked closely with the MSC to encourage consumers to make the most of fish such as mackerel which are plentiful and delicious too.”
Toby Middleton, UK Country Manager for the MSC added: “Waitrose is a long-standing supporter of the MSC programme and this is very welcome news both for the marine environment and for Waitrose customers. I look forward to working closely with Waitrose and seeing more MSC certified products on their shelves in the future.
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