The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has opened an office in Tokyo and appointed Mr Kozo Ishii as Programme Director for Japan, to increase awareness of the role of fishery certification and eco-labelling in securing sustainable fisheries in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
The aim of opening an office in Japan is to boost uptake of the MSC programme by both domestic and regional fisheries, Japanese seafood retailers and the general public. Mr Ishii will be the primary contact point for those who wish to take part in the MSC’s certification programme for sustainable fisheries.
"Interest in the MSC is growing and we believe that this is the right time to strengthen our presence in this market. Japan has one of the highest per-capita fish consumption rates in the world and is the hub of the Asia-Pacific seafood trade. Establishing the MSC here is an essential step to bring the Asia-Pacific region further into seafood certification and eco-labelling, which will greatly contribute to creating sustainable fisheries and protecting the marine ecosystem," said Kozo Ishii.
The move comes soon after several recent MSC successes in Japan:
* 11 seafood processors in Japan have been certified for processing seafood from fisheries that meet the MSC environmental standard
* MSC-labelled seafood products were launched at two Japanese supermarkets, National Azabu and Aeon, in July and November 2006
* The Kyoto Danish Seine Fishery Federation (KDSFF) Snow crab and Flathead flounder fishery has entered the assessment process for MSC certification in February 2006
