How to Tell If Your Seafood Is Sustainable

Here's a staggering figure. An estimated 15% of seafood caught worldwide is from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. That's according to an Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report on the subject. International bodies like the OECD count illegal fishing among the most serious threats to the environmental wellbeing of the ocean.

But there is some good news. Groups are fighting the good fight. Projects like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) work to ensure that seafood and fish stocks aren't over- or illegally fished.

The MSC promotes traceability of the catch as well as sustainability and helps fisheries minimize their impact on marine ecosystems. What's more, the MSC makes choosing sustainable seafood easy for the consumer.

At the market, look for products with the MSC blue and white label, which can be found on all types of products, from fresh to canned to frozen seafood. You'll find MSC certified sustainable seafood at grocery store chains including Kroger, Safeway, Albertson's, Aldi, Shoprite, Whole Foods Market, Walmart, Target, Ralph's, Amazon Fresh, Stop & Shop, and more.

Celine Rouzaud, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at MSC Canada notes, "Every little action counts, and while this might sound like a cliché, we actually do have the power to effect change through our everyday purchases." We all need to try to make a difference now.

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