February 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

LONDON – Today the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) reached an important milestone with the launch of the 20,000th MSC labelled product, Las Cuarenta Paella. The ready-made frozen meal is now available in Netto stores across Germany. The paella contains pollock from Alaska and Russia, blue shell mussels from Denmark, and shrimps from Suriname. 

A growing trend in new seafood products

The paella’s seafood mix comes from a diverse range of fisheries, from a developing world fishery in South America, to some of the world’s largest fisheries in North America and Europe. Each of these fisheries is committed to ensuring the health and sustainability of the fish stocks they harvest

“The 20,000th MSC labelled product, Las Cuarenta Paella, illustrates the growing trend in new seafood products. Over the last decade, we’ve seen new and novel ways MSC certified seafood is being used. From ready-made meals such as paella to sandwiches, pizza and baby food. Las Cuarenta paella is a fine example of how retailers and manufacturers are exploring new trends to attract more sustainable seafood lovers,” said Nicolas Guichoux, MSC’s Global Commercial Director. 

Thanks to the efforts of these and over 280 other certified fisheries, consumers in over 100 countries can choose from a variety of MSC labelled products covering more than 100 different species. Consumers can also be assured that MSC certified seafood has an effective, traceable supply chain which ensures the integrity of MSC labelled products.

“Nine years ago only 1,000 labelled products were on the market globally. So we celebrate this new important milestone, and honor all fisheries and retail partners whose commitment to sustainability has contributed to the growth of the MSC program around the world and played a part in securing a healthy future for our oceans,” added Nicolas Guichoux.

MSC in Germany

Germany is the MSC’s most developed market in terms of certified sustainable seafood consumption, with over 4,000 MSC certified products on sale. Netto is one of many retail partners committed to sourcing and selling MSC certified products in the country. The discounter offers a wide range of responsibly sourced seafood with more than 100 MSC-labelled products in store. Netto has made a long-term commitment to only source and sell seafood– from MSC certified sustainable fisheries. 

“We are very proud that the 20,000th MSC labelled product is a Netto product. With the growing availability of MSC certified seafood from a variety of species, we’ve been able to expand our range of products so that our customers can buy their favorite seafood in the knowledge that the environment is being safeguarded. MSC certified products play an important role in our corporate sustainability agenda,” said Christina Stylianou, Corporate Communications Director at Netto.

A label you can trust

The blue MSC label assures consumers that the fish they are buying comes from a sustainable and well-managed fishery that has been independently certified, ensuring that the fish populations and the ecosystems upon which they depend remain healthy and productive.

Any organization selling or handling MSC certified seafood must ensure that it is correctly labelled and kept separate from other non-certified seafood at all times. This ensures that MSC labelled seafood can be traced back to a sustainable source.

You can find these products in-store, online and in restaurants.