New buying standards coming into force this autumn mean that all UK Government catering departments will need to source fish from sustainable fisheries.
The move, which has been welcomed by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), will ensure that “All fish are demonstrably sustainable with all wild-caught fish meeting the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries."
These buying standards apply to catering contracts across all central government departments and agencies, including military institutions and prisons. According to Defra estimates, this equates to a total annual commitment by government buyers of £16.1 million per annum to sourcing sustainable fish for meals provided to over 400,000 people.
Toby Middleton, UK country manager for the MSC said, “This represents an important recognition by the UK government of the commitments made by stakeholders in certified fisheries across the UK. We warmly welcome this as a positive leadership piece setting an example to the wider market which is showing ever increasing engagement with certification. MSC certification is a rigorous assessment process and these new procurements standards reward the efforts to achieve sustainable practices made by fishermen throughout the country.”
Certification to the MSC environmental standard is a recognised assurance that a fishery is sustainable and well managed.
The new UK government buying standards will be welcome news to stakeholders in UK sustainable fisheries. It will also give certified fisheries a competitive edge in the marketplace in terms of proven traceability of sustainable fish and the ever increasing market demand for sustainable seafood.
