Sustainable fishing: why MSC certification makes a difference
See that little blue fish on your fish oil or frozen fish? That's the MSC label - but what does it really 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, exactly what the MSC label means and why it makes a difference to our oceans.
Why is sustainable fishing important?
Our oceans are full of life, but that life is under pressure. Worldwide, fish stocks are being depleted faster than they can recover. Some fish species have already declined by 90 percent since the 1950s. This is 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 one link in this chain disappears, everything goes out of balance. For example, dolphins, seabirds and sea lions need sardines and anchovies to survive. If we fish them out en masse for fish oil, these animals will have nothing left to eat.
Local fishermen also suffer. Families that have been fishing for generations are seeing their catches get smaller and smaller. Their tradition and their income are in jeopardy because of overfishing.
What is the MSC label?
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 and the future of the fishery.
The MSC was created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Unilever because they saw how hard things were going for global fish stocks. Their goal? A future where our oceans are still full of life and fishermen can earn an honest living.
The three pillars of MSC certification
To receive the MSC label, a fishery must meet three strict conditions:
- Sustainable fish stocks: fishing should never catch more than the stock can sustain. There must always be enough fish left over to reproduce and keep the stock healthy. This is constantly monitored by independent scientists.
- Minimal impact on the ecosystem: it is not only the "target fish" (the species of fish they want to catch) that counts, but also all the other marine life in the area. MSC fisheries ensure that they do not damage the seabed, do not catch endangered species and keep the entire ecosystem in balance.
- Effective fisheries management: there must be clear rules and they must be followed. Think quotas, seasons when no fishing is allowed and controls to stop illegal fishing. Local communities must be involved in decisions.
How does MSC certification work in practice?
It takes months for a fishery to receive the MSC label. An independent organization checks everything: scientific data about the fish stocks, interviews with local fishermen and checks all working methods. Only if everything is really correct does the fishery receive the certificate.
And then it just begins. Every year, inspectors come by to check that everything is still according to the rules. After five years, the whole fishery has to pass another inspection. Do they do something wrong? Then they lose their certificate.
It also tracks the entire route - from the fishing boat to the product in the store. This is called "chain of custody" certification. So you can be sure that the fish in your omega-3 supplement really comes from a sustainable source.
The difference between MSC and regular fisheries
The difference is truly enormous. Many commercial fisheries are primarily concerned with catching as much as possible in as short a time as possible. They don't think about the impact on the oceans or the future of their own profession. MSC fisheries work in exactly the opposite way: they deliberately ensure that there will still be fish to catch 50 years from now.
Ordinary fisheries often use methods that are bad for the ocean:
- Massive bycatch: when fishing anchovies for fish oil, dolphins, turtles and other marine animals are often accidentally caught and discarded.
- Overfishing: whole schools of sardines are taken away, with no thought to the future of the stock.
- Soil destruction: trawl nets passing over the seafloor destroy coral reefs and other important habitats.
MSC fisheries do this differently. They use more selective fishing nets, respect breeding grounds and adhere to strict quotas. Norwegian MSC cod fishermen, for example, use hooks instead of nets, so there is no bycatch.
Why Arctic Blue chooses MSC
Arctic Blue uses only MSC certified fish oil from Norwegian cod from the Barents Sea. No sardines from Peru where 30 fish are needed for one capsule, but leftover cod caught for human consumption anyway.
Norwegian fishermen have been working sustainably for centuries. They pass on their knowledge from father to son and know that they must be careful of "their" sea. They catch only a small part of the cod stocks, leaving enough for the future.
By using only fillet leftovers, Arctic Blue wastes nothing and no additional fish have to die for fish oil. It's circular economy at its best: what would otherwise be thrown away is turned into valuable omega-3 supplements. Sustainability is at the heart of everything Arctic Blue does.
In conclusion
The MSC label 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 like Arctic Blue's fish oil, you are voting for sustainable oceans.
So next time, look closely at that little blue fish. It's small, but it makes a big difference for our planet. Because the healthiest omega-3 for you, is also the best for our oceans.
