Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), the national peak-body representing the Australian seafood industry, has welcomed news that Melbourne’s The Fish Shoppe has become the first Australian seafood retailer to be awarded the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Chain of Custody certification.
“Between the ocean and your plate seafood can pass through many stages of the supply chain, and MSC’s Chain of Custody certification ensures products from MSC certified fisheries are traceable through MSC certified business from the boat to your bag,” SIA CEO Jane Lovell said.
“To achieve this certification we’ve established direct supply chains with MSC certified fishers around the country as very few wholesalers have MSC certification in Australia,” The Fish Shoppe co-owner Renee Vajtauer said.
“All products sold in our shop are sourced from sustainable fisheries across Australia and New Zealand. However, not all fisheries have MSC certification, so we cross-reference all stocks with Australia’s official monitoring and management authorities including the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences.”
“This is an exciting development for Australian seafood consumers and is a wonderful addition to the celebrations of Australian Sustainable Seafood week which runs from March 11-17 (2019),” Ms Lovell said.
“SIA is so proud of The Fish Shoppe for achieving MSC’s Chain of Custody certification within a little under a year of opening their doors.
“We applaud the many Australian fisheries that have achieved certification to standards like the MSC and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), however it is important to remember that the very fact it is Australian seafood means it has been sourced responsibly due to the high level of regulation, reporting and monitoring that underpins our industry. As fishers, our priority is the ocean. We advocate the health, sustainability and future of our ocean. It’s our livelihood and the future livelihood of generations to come.”
“Our commitment to sustainable, traceable and ethically sourced seafood has been strengthened through this process,” The Fish Shoppe co-owner Josh Pearce said.
“By choosing seafood with the MSC blue label our customers are guaranteed their purchase supports good fisheries management practices which helps to ensure fish-stocks and habitats are healthy, and fishing community livelihoods are secure well into the future.”
Source: Seafood Industry Australia
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