UK retailer Marks and Spencer has announced that by 2012 it will only sell fish certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or another independent source.
This comes as part of the £200m eco-plan - 'Plan A' - which will have an impact on all aspects of the business.
Rupert Howes, MSC's Chief Executive, commented:
"This is a very welcome commitment from a national retailer and underlines Marks & Spencer's long-standing efforts to offer green products and to respond to the environmental concerns of the public.
The case for UK and Irish fisheries to now add MSC-certification to their public assurances of freshness and quality is stronger than ever. It is clear that British consumers expect and want fish and seafood that they are confident will not contribute to marine degradation or overfishing. With a range of grants available to cover the costs of the independent assessment process, we hope to see more British and Irish fisheries announcing their intention to enter the MSC programme."
