The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent, global, non-profit organisation with its head office based in London, UK. In a bid to reverse the continued decline in the world's fisheries, the MSC is seeking to harness consumer purchasing power to generate change and promote environmentally responsible stewardship of the world's most important renewable food source.

The MSC has developed an environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. It uses a product label to reward environmentally responsible fishery management and practices. Consumers, concerned about overfishing and its environmental and social consequences will increasingly be able to choose seafood products which have been independently assessed against the MSC Standard and labelled to prove it. This will assure them that the product has not contributed to the environmental problem of overfishing.

Currently there are 19 certified fisheries worldwide. In Latin America, the Baja California (Mexico) lobster have deserved the use of the eco-label in 2004. In Argentina, the Patagonic Scallop and the San Matías Gulf hake have completed the preliminary assessment, and the scallop is now under the full assessment process.

For further information: www.msc.org