Denmark takes the lead within sustainable fishery

Denmark is in the world top when it comes to sustainable fishery and even higher goals are set.

Danish fishermen are among the best in the world to catch fish in the most sustainable way. Worldwide, 14% of fish catches has achieved the international Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label for sustainable fisheries. In Denmark, it is now over 90% of the total catches that receive the MSC label.

Head of the Danish Fisheries Association, Ole Lundberg Larsen, explain that the high amount of MSC-certified fishing in Denmark is due to a conscious strategy throughout the fishing industry since 2009.

How does a fisherman get the MSC label for sustainable fisheries?

MSC is an international certification scheme. For 20 years the MSC has been part of a team effort to keep oceans healthy and full of life. To get the label, fishermen must prove that fish stocks are not at risk of overfishing and that there are no bycatches of whales, turtles or seabirds. In addition, the management of fish stocks must also be in order. When buying a fish that has the blue MSC label, the consumer can be sure that the fish can be traced back to a sustainable source.

Worldwide, over 300 fisheries are MSC certified and even more on their way. Over 24,000 products are branded, and both McDonald’s and IKEA demand sustainable fish.

“We decided in 2009 that all Danish fisheries should, as far as possible, be MSC certified, among other things because several international supermarket chains require that the fish is certified. Since then, we have been working to certify fisheries species-by-species, and we hope to reach the goal of becoming 100% MSC-certified. To the best of our knowledge, no other countries are close to having as much a share of MSC-certified fishing as we have in Denmark,” says Ole Lundberg Larsen.

The MSC label

Read more about the MSC label here.
Source: FiskerTidende.dk