Do you see that little blue fish on your fish oil or frozen fish? That is the MSC certification: but what does it actually mean? And why should you care how the fish for your omega-3 supplement was caught? In this blog we explain why sustainable fishing is important, what the MSC certification exactly entails and why it makes a difference for our oceans.
Why is sustainable fishing important?
Our oceans are full of life, but that life is under pressure. Worldwide, fish stocks are being fished out faster than they can recover. Some fish species have already declined by 90% since the 1950s. That is not only bad news for the fish themselves, but for the entire ecosystem.
Think of it this way: fish eat other fish, which in turn eat other organisms. If a link in this chain disappears, everything becomes unbalanced. Dolphins, seabirds and sea lions, for example, need sardines and anchovies to survive. If we fish those away en masse for fish oil, these animals have nothing left to eat.
Local fishermen also suffer from this. Families who have been fishing for generations see their catches getting smaller and smaller. Their tradition and their income are endangered by overfishing.
What is the MSC certification?
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification is an internationally recognized certification for sustainable fishing. The little blue fish guarantees that the fish has been caught in a responsible way, without endangering the oceans and the future of the fishery.
The MSC was founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Unilever because they saw how quickly global fish stocks were declining. Their goal? A future in which our oceans are still full of life and fishermen can earn a fair living.
The three pillars of MSC certification
To obtain the MSC certification, a fishery must meet three strict conditions:
- Sustainable fish stocks: the fishery may never catch more than the stock can sustain. There must always be enough fish left to reproduce and keep the stock healthy. This is continuously monitored by independent scientists.
- Minimal impact on the ecosystem: not only the ‘target fish’ (the species they want to catch) counts, but also all other marine life in the area. MSC fisheries make sure they do not damage the seabed, do not catch endangered species as bycatch and keep the entire ecosystem in balance.
- Effective fishery management: there must be clear rules and they must also be followed. Think of quotas, seasons in which fishing is not allowed and controls to combat illegal fishing. Local communities must be involved in the decisions.
How does MSC certification work in practice?
It takes months before a fishery receives the MSC certification. An independent organization checks everything: scientific data on the fish stocks, conversations with local fishermen and inspection of all working methods. Only if everything really checks out does the fishery receive the certificate.
And then it only just begins. Every year, inspectors come by to check whether everything is still going according to the rules. After five years, the entire fishery must go through the assessment again. Do they do something wrong? Then they lose their certificate.
The entire route is also tracked: from the fishing boat to the product in the store. This is called ‘chain of custody’ certification. That way you can be sure that the fish in your omega-3 supplement really comes from a sustainable source.
The difference between MSC and regular fishing
The difference is truly enormous. Many commercial fisheries are mainly focused on catching as much as possible in as short a time as possible. They do not think about the consequences for the oceans or the future of their own trade. MSC fisheries work exactly the other way around: they consciously ensure that there will still be fish to catch in 50 years.
Regular fisheries often use methods that are bad for the ocean:
- Massive bycatch: when fishing for anchovies for fish oil, dolphins, turtles and other marine animals are often accidentally caught and thrown away.
- Overfishing: entire schools of sardines are removed, without thinking about the future of the stock.
- Seabed destruction: trawl nets that drag across the seabed destroy coral reefs and other important habitats.
MSC fisheries do this differently. They use more selective fishing nets, respect breeding areas and adhere to strict quotas. Norwegian MSC cod fishermen, for example, use hooks instead of nets, which means there is no bycatch.
Why Arctic Blue chooses MSC
Arctic Blue only uses MSC-certified fish oil from Norwegian cod from the Barents Sea. No sardines from Peru where 30 fish are needed for one capsule, but trimmings from cod that is already being caught for human consumption anyway.
The Norwegian fishermen have been working sustainably for centuries. They pass on their knowledge from father to son and know that they have to take good care of ‘their’ sea. They catch only a small part of the cod stocks, so that enough remains for the future.
By using only fillet trimmings, Arctic Blue wastes nothing and no extra fish have to die for fish oil. It is circular economy at its best: what would otherwise be thrown away is converted into valuable omega-3 supplements. Sustainability is central to everything Arctic Blue does.
Finally
The MSC certification is much more than a logo on your fish oil bottle. It stands for a promise: that the oceans will remain full of life for our children and grandchildren. By choosing MSC-certified products such as the fish oil from Arctic Blue, you vote for sustainable oceans.
So next time, take a good look at that little blue fish. It is small, but it makes a big difference for our planet. Because the healthiest omega-3 for you is also the best for our oceans.
