Do you see that little blue fish on your fish oil or frozen fish? That’s the MSC label—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 label exactly means, and why it makes a difference for our oceans.
Why is sustainable fishing important?
Our oceans are teeming with life, but that life is under threat. Around the world, fish stocks are being depleted faster than they can recover. Some fish species have already declined by 90% since the 1950s. That’s bad news not only 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 is thrown out of balance. Dolphins, seabirds, and sea lions, for example, need sardines and anchovies to survive. If we overfish them for fish oil, these animals will have nothing left to eat.
Local fishermen are also affected by this. Families that have been fishing for generations are seeing their catches shrink. Their tradition and their livelihood are threatened by overfishing.
What is the MSC certification?
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label is an internationally recognized certification for sustainable fishing. The little blue fish guarantees that the fish was caught responsibly, without endangering the oceans or the future of the fishing industry.
The MSC was founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Unilever because they saw how rapidly global fish stocks were declining. Their goal? A future in which our oceans are still teeming with life and fishermen can earn a fair living.
The Three Pillars of MSC Certification
To receive the MSC certification, a fishery must meet three strict requirements:
- Sustainable fish stocks: Fisheries must never catch more than the stock can replenish. 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: it’s not just the “target fish” (the species they want to catch) that matters—all other marine life in the area does too. MSC-certified fisheries ensure that they do not damage the seafloor, do not catch endangered species as bycatch, and maintain the balance of the entire ecosystem.
- Effective fisheries management: There must be clear rules, and they must be followed. This includes quotas, closed seasons, and inspections to combat illegal fishing. Local communities must be involved in decision-making.
How does MSC certification work in practice?
It takes months for a fishery to receive the MSC certification. An independent organization reviews everything: scientific data on fish stocks, interviews with local fishermen, and an audit of all operating procedures. Only if absolutely everything is in order does the fishery receive the certificate.
And that's just the beginning. Every year, inspectors come by to check whether everything is still in compliance with the rules. After five years, the entire fishing operation must undergo the inspection again. If they do something wrong, they lose their certificate.
The entire supply chain is also tracked—from the fishing boat to the product on the store shelf. 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 Conventional Fishing
The difference is truly enormous. Many commercial fisheries are primarily focused on catching as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. They don’t consider the consequences for the oceans or the future of their own industry. MSC-certified fisheries, on the other hand, operate exactly the opposite way: they consciously ensure that there will still be fish to catch 50 years from now.
Conventional fisheries often use methods that are harmful to the ocean:
- Massive bycatch: When fishing for anchovies to produce fish oil, dolphins, sea turtles, and other marine animals are often accidentally caught and discarded.
- Overfishing: Entire schools of sardines are being caught without any thought for the future of the stock.
- Seabed destruction: Trawl nets that drag across the seabed destroy coral reefs and other important habitats.
MSC fisheries do things differently. They use more selective fishing gear, respect spawning grounds, 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 Uses only MSC-certified fish oil from Norwegian cod caught in the Barents Sea. No sardines from Peru—where it takes 30 fish to make a single capsule—but rather byproducts from cod that is already being caught for human consumption.
Norwegian fishermen have been fishing sustainably for centuries. They pass their knowledge down from father to son and know that they must take good care of “their” sea. They catch only a small portion of the cod stocks, ensuring that enough remains for the future.
By using only leftover fillets, Arctic Blue wastes nothing, and no additional fish need to be killed for fish oil. It’s the circular economy at its best: what would otherwise be thrown away is transformed into valuable omega-3 supplements. Sustainability is at the heart of everything Arctic Blue does.
In conclusion
The MSC label is much more than just a logo on your fish oil bottle. It represents a promise: that the oceans will remain teeming with life for our children and grandchildren. By choosing MSC-certified products, such as the fish oil from Arctic Blue, you’re voting for sustainable oceans.
So next time, take a good look at that little blue fish. It may be small, but it makes a big difference for our planet. Because the healthiest omega-3 for you is also the best for our oceans.
