by Marine Stewardship Council 07/03/2025
A Sustainability Journey, Tinned Food
This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Marine Stewardship Council.
MSC Award winners L-R Heidi Walker (Walker Seafoods), Bill Wall (Coles), Scott Wing (Woolworths Group), Brett Patience (Bidfood) Photo Credit: Raul Ortiz de Lejarazu Machin
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international non-profit on a mission to end overfishing, has honoured outstanding contributions to sustainable seafood at the Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia.
Australian seafood shoppers are prioritising sustainability, spending almost 400 million dollars on over 365 MSC certified sustainable seafood products in the past year. The volume of MSC certified seafood sold in Australia has tripled in the last ten years with double digit sales growth compared with five years ago.
According to the MSC, increased awareness of environmental issues is driving Australians and businesses to make more eco-conscious seafood choices.
MSC Program Director for Oceania and Singapore, Anne Gabriel, stated, “The vast majority of Australian seafood consumers believe that to save the ocean, we must only consume seafood from sustainable sources and that environmental claims must be clearly labelled by an independent organisation.”
“By meeting customer expectations, brands and retailers now offer more sustainable seafood options with the MSC blue fish tick label than ever before, with further growth in MSC-labelled products in the pipeline.”
Leading the charge, Coles, Woolworths, Walker Seafoods Australia, Bidfood, Sydney Zoo and Austral Fisheries were recognised at the Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia.
Coles secured MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket for the supermarket with the most significant commitment to MSC certified sustainable seafood in Australia during 2024 and MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Product for Coles Simply Tuna.
The judging panel commended Coles for its dedication to sustainability, particularly its efforts in sourcing sustainable tuna supplies. “Commitments from large retailers are essential to making sustainable practices the benchmark for tuna fishing policies and operations.” the panel noted.
Judges also praised Coles’ development of MSC labelled own-brand products, calling it “a breakthrough in the pursuit of sustainable seafood production worldwide.”
Heidi Walker from Walkers Seafoods Australia received the MSC Sustainable Fishing Hero award for her leadership in sustainable tuna fishing and launch of Walkers Tuna in collaboration with chef Neil Perry, available at Woolworths and Harris Farms.
The panel applauded her commitment, stating, “Strong leadership is at the forefront of this product development. It is extremely innovative and will help pave the way for other sustainable seafood products.”
In a category decided by public vote, Skull Island Tiger Prawns, by Austral Fisheries, was named MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Brand, for being a trailblazer in supporting a healthier ocean. According to Austral Fisheries, “Weighing in at ~80g each, Skull Island Tiger Prawns (“Skullies”) are Australia’s largest wild-caught tiger prawns, instantly recognizable by their bold tiger stripes and fluorescent purple tails. Our fishery is proudly certified to the MSC’s standard for a well-managed and sustainable fishery, and Carbon Neutral by Climate Active, making it the only prawn fishery globally to hold these prestigious certifications.”
Brett Patience, National Seafood Development Manager, Bidfood won the MSC Lifetime Achievement Award for his “pioneering leadership in making sustainable seafood widely accessible in Australia’s foodservice sector.” His 40-year career has been marked by a deep commitment to sustainability, implementing supply chain integrity, and driving the use of over one million kilograms of certified seafood in the past year.
The MSC Community Champion – Business award was presented to Woolworths Group for actively championing ocean sustainability and the MSC. Sydney Zoo took home MSC Community Champion – Public Institution for making a meaningful impact through education and inspiring communities to care for our ocean.
“By championing eco-friendly practices, this year’s winners are setting new standards for the global seafood industry and empowering consumers to make choices that protect the future of our ocean.” Gabriel concluded.
The Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia recognise organisations and individuals making significant contributions to safeguarding ocean health and supporting responsible aquaculture and sustainable fishing practices.
The awards are run annually by the Marine Stewardship Council in partnership with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.
This a sponsored post published on behalf of Marine Stewardship Council.
