Saving Seafood

Marine Stewardship Council Reports That 90 Percent of US Fisheries Meet Sustainable Standards; Highlights MSC-Certified SCEMFIS Members

February 6, 2026 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

Last week, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) highlighted the sustainability of U.S. fisheries with new data from 2025 showing that, by volume, 90 percent of the U.S. catch is MSC-certified and meets the organization’s sustainability guidelines. Among the organizations highlighted are industry members of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS).

SCEMFIS, a member of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, brings together marine scientists and members of the commercial fishing and wind energy industries to collaborate on fisheries research focusing on sustainable fisheries. Several SCEMFIS member organizations participate in fisheries that have been certified against the MSC Sustainable Fisheries standard, including Atlantic and Gulf menhaden, Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog, longfin and shortfin squid, black sea bass, summer flounder, Atlantic and Pacific tuna, and scup.

Wayne Reichle, the Owner and President of Lund’s Fisheries, a member of SCEMFIS’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB), is quoted by the MSC in their announcement:

“For nearly ten years, Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. has collaborated with the MSC, and our partner conformity assessment bodies (CABs), to assure domestic and international markets vitally important to our long-term success that the seafood we produce is managed sustainably based on rigorous, annual, scientific and monitoring reviews. Our MSC-certified Atlantic sea scallop, Atlantic and Pacific squid, and Atlantic menhaden purse seine, scup, fluke and black sea bass trawl fisheries have provided us with access to markets that would not otherwise be available to our third-generation fishing company, to the benefit of our community, our employees and our company and independent fishermen whose cooperation we depend upon each day as we plan for the future.”

The MSC “sets criteria to ensure healthy fish stocks, minimal harmful impacts on marine ecosystems, and to promote effective and responsive management.” 62 species in the U.S. are MSC certified, with more than 1,300 certified products available in the U.S. market.

In 2025, MSC became the newest member of the SCEMFIS IAB. In joining, MSC praised the work the Center has done for seafood sustainability, with MSC’s Anthony Mastitski, Fisheries Outreach Manager, saying, “SCEMFIS plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research across U.S. fisheries, including many that are MSC-certified. Thanks in part to SCEMFIS, these fisheries have maintained their certifications and continue to offer sustainable seafood options to consumers at home and abroad.”

In addition to having the MSC and several MSC-certified fisheries represented on the Center’s Board, SCEMFIS research has directly improved the sustainability of many of these fisheries. Among other issues, SCEMFIS-supported science has provided new insights into how climate change has impacted Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog, and how to best estimate their ages and populations; an analysis of Gulf predators’ diets that better defines the role of Gulf menhaden as a forage species in the food web; updating the maturity and fecundity schedules for Atlantic menhaden and addressed improvements in the Atlantic menhaden stock assessment; and the economic impact of the Atlantic surfclam, scup, Gulf menhaden, longfin squid, and summer flounder fisheries.

MSC calls US a world leader in certified environmentally sustainable fisheries

January 28, 2026 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently reported that 90 percent of U.S. fisheries by volume are MSC-certified, giving the country the top rank for environmentally sustainable fisheries globally.

“MSC is proud to partner with U.S. fisheries that have a longstanding commitment to sustainability and the protection of our country’s marine resources,” MSC Program Director in the U.S. Laura McDearis said in a release. “As demonstrated by the 90 percent of U.S. fishery landings by volume that are certified to MSC’s rigorous requirements for environmentally sustainable fishing, the leadership and great work of our U.S. partners can’t be understated. MSC certification validates U.S. fisheries’ dedication to ensuring the long-term health of our ocean and sets an example for countries around the globe to follow.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

New Data from the Marine Stewardship Council: U.S. Leads the World in Certified Environmentally Sustainable Fisheries

January 27, 2026 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global nonprofit organization that works to end overfishing, today announced 2025 year-end data showing that 90% of U.S. fisheries by volume are MSC certified and meet rigorous requirements for environmentally sustainable fishing practices, making the U.S. a leader in sustainable fisheries.

A trusted nonprofit dedicated to ending overfishing and maintaining a healthy ocean, the MSC sets criteria to ensure healthy fish stocks, minimal harmful impacts on marine ecosystems, and to promote effective and responsive management.

U.S. achievements for 2025 include:

  • 62 species certified
  • More than 1,300 MSC eco-labeled products available in the U.S. market
  • MSC eco-labeled products can now be found in all 50 states

“MSC is proud to partner with U.S. fisheries that have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and the protection of our country’s marine resources,” said Laura McDearis, U.S. program director, Marine Stewardship Council.

“As demonstrated by the 90% of U.S. fishery landings by volume that are certified to MSC’s rigorous requirements for environmentally sustainable fishing, the leadership and great work of our U.S. partners can’t be understated. MSC certification validates U.S. fisheries’ dedication to ensuring the long-term health of our ocean and sets an example for countries around the globe to follow,” continued McDearis.

Other notable MSC certified fisheries milestones in 2025 include the completion of long-term research projects in the Alaska Salmon fishery, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In 2025 the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic menhaden purse seine fisheries were recertified, with support from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the University of Southern Mississippi’s National Science Foundation-supported Science Center for Marine Fisheries, respectively.

In addition, several new fisheries entered the MSC program last year, including the U.S. Atlantic summer flounder and black sea bass trawl fishery. Other fisheries, such as Pacific hake and Louisiana blue crab are celebrating more than a decade of certification against the MSC Standard.

“For nearly ten years, Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. has collaborated with the MSC, and our partner conformity assessment bodies (CABs), to assure domestic and international markets, vitally important to our long-term success that the seafood we produce is managed sustainably based on rigorous, annual, scientific and monitoring reviews,” said Wayne Reichle, Owner and President, Lund’s Fisheries. “Our MSC-certified Atlantic sea scallop, Atlantic and Pacific squid, and Atlantic menhaden purse seine, scup, fluke and black sea bass trawl fisheries, have provided us with access to markets that would not otherwise be available to our third-generation fishing company, to the benefit of our community, our employees and our company and independent fishermen whose cooperation we depend upon each day as we plan for the future.

2025 was a challenging year for U.S. fisheries, with increasing pressure to safeguard marine ecosystems against the backdrop of rapidly escalating climate change. Environmental conditions including shifting and extreme weather patterns, as well as distribution and recruitment of fish due to warming waters, greatly impacted U.S. fisheries. A recent study conducted by the MSC and the Common Oceans Program showed that tuna and other highly migratory fish are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to the impacts of shifting stocks and the reduction in the number of fish in the ecosystem due to climate change. The research also found that certification can help mitigate risk, making fisheries potentially more resilient to climate impacts.

On the U.S. seafood markets side, the introduction of tariffs by the Trump administration challenged the seafood industry significantly, affecting seafood trade, imports and prices at retail, as only approximately 38% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is of domestic origin. Nevertheless, MSC certified seafood products continued to grow on the market, with an 8% increase in volume of MSC certified products in the U.S. from 2024 to 2025. MSC certified supply chain partners remain committed to environmental sustainability despite these challenging times, with retailers like Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart making MSC certified seafood accessible and easily identifiable through in-store signage and online messaging.

“At Wakefern, partnering with MSC has allowed us to create valuable communications tools that help consumers navigate the sustainable seafood options we offer at ShopRite and Price Rite stores,” said Alexandra Emery, Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Wakefern Food Corp. “Our Bowl & Basket and Wholesome Pantry frozen products, like wild caught scallops and flounder fillets, are also MSC certified, allowing consumers to shop sustainably and responsibly from our store brand product lines.”

Sustainable wild fisheries are essential to American fishing communities and a resilient, productive ocean, offering a renewable, low-carbon source of nutritious protein. The growing commitment from fisheries and the marketplace to the MSC program reflects a shared vision for that future. Continued commitment by governments, industry, consumers and political leaders is essential in the face of warming oceans, and critical to stay on track to deliver the UN Agenda 2030 goals before the end of the decade, including sustainable development goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Read the release from the Marine Stewardship Council

Recertification of flatfish fisheries as sustainable challenged

January 13, 2026 — Adecision by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to recertify the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) flatfish fisheries as sustainable is being challenged by commercial, sport, and environmental entities.

“Calling a fishery sustainable when its bycatch and habitat impacts are bankrupting the future of our ocean and fishing communities undermines the credibility of the MSC label,” said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, in a statement issued by the group on Dec. 29. “Alaskans are calling for an end to bottom trawling.  MSC needs to listen to the public and rethink its process.”

Karen Gillis, executive director of the Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association, contends that MSC’s certification of the Amendment 80 fleet raises serious questions about how sustainability is defined. “At worst, it enables greenwashing by giving industrial trawling a pass while ecosystems and coastal communities pay the price.

“When industrial trawl fleets receive sustainability labels while small-scale fishermen and subsistence users bear the consequences, the system is failing the very people and ecosystems it claims to protect,” she said.

The BSAI and GOA flatfish fisheries are a significant part of the state’s multi-billion-dollar seafood industry, with the estimated value fluctuating annually.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

MSC, Groundfish Forum push back against claims of “greenwashing” Alaska’s flatfish fishery

January 13, 2026 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Groundfish Forum – a trade group representing trawl catcher-processors in Alaska – are pushing back against claims by a coalition of NGOs that the recent recertification of an Alaska flatfish fishery amounts to “greenwashing.”

A coalition of several NGOs, including SalmonState, the Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association, and Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, claimed the recent recertification of the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska flatfish fishery lacked transparency and was undertaken with little input from stakeholders. Both MSC and Groundfish Forum said those claims are inaccurate, and misrepresent the process MSC and MRAG Americas, the third-party auditor that certifies fisheries to the MSC standard, went through.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Coalition of fishing groups, NGOs criticize MSC recertification of Amendment 80 Fleet

January 5, 2026 — A coalition of nonprofits, fishing organizations, and tribal groups are criticizing the recertification of the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska flatfish fishery, which includes the Amendment 80 trawling fleet, to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard claiming the process lacked transparency and amounts to “greenwashing.”

The Amendment 80 fleet targets Akta mackerel, Pacific cod, rock sole, yellowfin sole, flathead sole and Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea, and comprises roughly 20 groundfish-trawling vessels. The fishery was recently the subject of a battle over its allowed halibut bycatch after the North Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to move to abundance-based management and reduce allowed bycatch, which lead to a lawsuit from the fishers that was ultimately dismissed.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Marine Stewardship Council Joins Science Center for Marine Fisheries

December 18, 2025 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) is pleased to announce that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has joined the Center as a member of its Industry Advisory Board (IAB). The addition of MSC will further the Center’s mission to identify and fund the latest developments in marine science, and to support healthy, sustainable fisheries.

The MSC is the world’s leading environmental certification for wild-capture fisheries. Meeting the organization’s Fisheries Standard is a rigorous process that ensures that any seafood product carrying the MSC-certified blue fish label meets the highest benchmarks for sustainability. Fisheries that are certified against the Fisheries Standard, which is confirmed after an extensive independent audit, have a proven track record of effective management, strong science, and environmental stewardship.

“The Marine Stewardship Council shares the Center’s mission of supporting critical scientific research for economically important fisheries,” said Dr. Eric Powell, of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Director of SCEMFIS. “Our research has helped our fisheries be better managed and more sustainable, and MSC’s membership will help us expand that work.”

SCEMFIS is a member of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, which brings together leading marine science academics and members of fishing industry to collaborate on relevant research projects, fill gaps in scientific knowledge, and utilize the results of completed research to fill industry needs. As a member of the Center’s Industry Advisory Board, MSC will have a role in identifying and funding needed research for some of the country’s most important finfish and shellfish fisheries.

“The MSC is delighted to join SCEMFIS as a member to support and contribute to cutting-edge research that deepens our understanding of U.S. fisheries,” said Anthony Mastitski, Fisheries Outreach Manager for the MSC. “SCEMFIS plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research across U.S. fisheries, including many that are MSC-certified. Thanks in part to SCEMFIS, these fisheries have maintained their certifications and continue to offer sustainable seafood options to consumers at home and abroad.”

The partnership between SCEMFIS and MSC naturally aligns due to complementary missions focused on sustainable fisheries. SCEMFIS’s work has shown tangible impact with helping certified fisheries address and close conditions within the MSC program like improving stock health, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening the scientific foundations of sustainable management.

SCEMFIS has long supported research that improves the sustainability of our member fisheries. Several fisheries that have benefited from SCEMFIS research have been certified sustainable by the MSC standard, including Atlantic and Gulf menhaden, Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog, longfin and shortfin squid, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup.

SCEMFIS research has examined important issues facing these fisheries. SCEMFIS researchers have published groundbreaking findings on topics such as how climate change has shifted the habitats of Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog; have found ways to better estimate the ages and population sizes of surfclams and ocean quahogs; are researching ways to better set Atlantic menhaden catch limits; developed a detailed model of how Gulf menhaden and its predators interact in the Gulf food web; and have documented the economic impact of the Atlantic surfclam, scup, longfin squid, and summer flounderfisheries.

“Our industry members are committed to the highest standards of sustainability,” said Joe Myers, Senior Director of Innovation & Sustainability of Sea Watch International, and the current chair of the SCEMFIS IAB. “That’s why we are thrilled to work with MSC as a partner in supporting the research that is vital to the future of our industries.”

About SCEMFIS
The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) brings together academic and industry expertise to address urgent scientific challenges facing sustainable fisheries. Through advanced methods, analytical tools, and collaborative research, SCEMFIS works to reduce uncertainty in stock assessments and improve the long-term sustainability of key marine resources.
SCEMFIS is an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center supported by the National Science Foundation. Industry organizations join SCEMFIS through an Industry Membership Agreement with one of the center’s site universities and contribute both financial support and valuable expertise to help shape research priorities.

Its university partners include the University of Southern Mississippi (lead institution) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary. The center also collaborates with scientists from a broad network of institutions, including Old Dominion University, Rutgers University, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, the University of Maryland, and the University of Rhode Island. These researchers bring deep expertise in finfish, shellfish, and marine mammal science.
Demand for SCEMFIS’s services continues to grow, driven by the fishing industry’s need for responsive, science-based support. The center provides timely access to expert input on stock assessment issues, participates in working groups, and conducts targeted studies that lead to better data collection, improved survey design, and more accurate modeling-all in service of sustainable, science-driven fishery management.

About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to ending overfishing and ensuring seafood supplies for the future. A pioneer in sustainable fishing standards and a trusted nonprofit advocate for ocean sustainability, the MSC program sets environmental criteria to ensure healthy fish stocks, minimal harmful impacts on ocean ecosystems, and to promote effective management. The MSC Fisheries Standard is the world’s most widely used environmental sustainability standard for wild-caught seafood, and the MSC blue fish ecolabel helps consumers identify products from fisheries that are independently certified. For more information, visit www.msc.org.

MSC research finds tuna fisheries are at most risk from climate change

November 4, 2025 — A new suite of research led by the Marine Stewardship Council has found fisheries targeting tuna species are at the most risk from the impacts of climate change.

The research paper, “Climate change risks to future sustainable fishing using global seafood ecolabel data,” was recently published in Cell Reports Sustainability and reviewed more than 500 fisheries around the world with a sustainability certification. The study examined species under multiple gear types and species, including whitefish, krill, lobster, and tuna.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Global appetite for sustainable seafood remains high – MSC Annual Report launches

September 30, 2025 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has today published its latest Annual Report, Working together for sustainable seafood, which this year points to the growth in appetite for sustainable seafood from both consumers and industry.

An international non-profit organisation on a mission to stop overfishing and the environmental challenges that this poses for the ocean, MSC-engaged catch now represent a fifth (20.6%) of global wild marine catch, with encouraging progress in under-represented areas such as Latin America and West Africa.

The past year also saw an 8% increase in MSC-labelled seafood sold, reaching a total retail value of US$14 billion. This growing number of sustainable seafood products gives consumers the ability to choose options which help protect the ocean. One notable area of growth has been in tuna, with 300,000 tonnes of MSC-labelled tuna sold – a 30% increase from the previous year.

As our ocean continues to warm, management is crucial so that our oceans can continue to provide a precious and renewable source of low carbon nutritious protein for humanity for generations to come.

Three-quarters of global whitefish fisheries now MSC-certified

September 12, 2025 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced that three-quarters of the whitefish caught in global fisheries is now certified MSC sustainable, representing “a major milestone for the seafood industry.”

“Whitefish represents one of the most compelling sustainability success stories in seafood,” MSC Chief Program Officer Nicolas Guichoux said. “Many of these fisheries have now maintained certification for decades and continued to improve their practices, demonstrating not only their long-term commitment to operating responsibly but the clear commercial incentive of doing so, as well.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource