This is the solution defended by the NGOs Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) et Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), two international organizations associated to co-organize Responsible Fishing and Aquaculture Week in mainland France, of which it was the sixth edition from February 14 to 20, with the aim of raising awareness of sustainable practices through labels.
For more than three billion people around the world, fish is indeed an essential source of food : it corresponds to 20% of their daily intake of animal proteins. Or, according to the UN, 34,2% of the world's fish populations are overexploited in the oceans, three times more than 40 years ago. With 10 billion human beings on the planet in 2050 and increasing consumption of seafood, meeting new food demands is a major challenge. However, “the progress of all stakeholders committed to sustainability has already made it possible to improve the situation in certain areas, but overfishing continues to put global marine resources under pressure. We all have a role to play in maintaining the livelihoods of communities that depend on fishing, and build a sustainable future », declares Margaux Favret, fisheries engineer, director at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) France. MSC is an NGO created in 1997 by WWF and Unilever, committed to preserving the oceans. It promotes demanding environmental certification and labeling programs that support fishermen, breeders and players in the seafood market, committed to a sustainability approach for the preservation of marine ecosystems.
Raising consumer awareness through eco-labels
According to the GlobeScan 2021 study on changes in French consumption patterns regarding seafood products, overexploitation of marine resources is a major concern for 57% of them. Since the start of the pandemic, the French are making more committed choices : 72% believe that buying eco-labeled seafood helps save resources, and almost 60% have already changed their diet. It is to support the consumption choices of the French that the NGOs MSC and ASC are co-organizing the Responsible Fishing and Aquaculture Week. This annual event aims to provide information on the issues of preserving marine resources and to share means of action accessible to all.. This year, 55 partners (fishermen, breeders, mass retail brands, seafood and aquarium brands) were participating.
L’aquaculture : the issue of fish farming
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council operates a voluntary and fully independent certification program. Its objective is to transform conventional aquaculture to make it more respectful of the environment and human rights.. ASC certification is based on scientific and measurable criteria. Aquaculture represents more than half of the fish consumed worldwide. FAO counts on this sector to help feed the growing world population. “Faced with this demand, aquatic environments are subject to strong pressures. It is therefore essential to adopt breeding practices that are more respectful of the environment and human rights.. Between more sustainable animal feed, more natural treatments or better control of inputs, there are many levers on which we can act to move the lines” affirms Camille Civel, agricultural engineer, Director France and Belgium at ASC.
