Sustainable Fishing Means More Fish

This article was contributed by Marine Stewardship Council.

How to spot sustainably caught fish at the supermarket

Every day, seafood makes its way from the ocean to our plates without us taking much notice. Where did it come from? Was the fishery it came from well managed? For most shoppers, those questions are hard to answer while standing in the aisle.

When you see the MSC blue fish tick label on a pack of fish, at the fresh counter or on a menu, it means the seafood comes from a fishery that has been independently certified to the MSC’s environmental standard for fishing. For a fuller breakdown of how the tick works and how it compares with other seafood labels, see our beginner’s guide to sustainable seafood.

This October, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is running a campaign built around one idea: Sustainable Fishing Means More Fish. The goal? To make spotting sustainable seafood easier and to teach everyday shoppers why it’s important.

Sustainable fishing facts

Fact: By managing fish stocks responsibly, sustainable fishing can help rebuild populations, providing enough seafood to feed an extra 72 million people every year.

The broader pattern this describes is backed independently: the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2025 global assessment, drawing on data from 2,570 fish stocks worldwide, found that 64.5% of stocks are fished within biologically sustainable levels, with effective management the clearest factor separating recovering fisheries from declining ones

Sustainable fishing means more life in our ocean

Fact: Sustainable fishers improve their practices to ensure stocks remain healthy, and to minimise impacts on ocean life, protecting habitats, reducing bycatch, and helping marine ecosystems stay healthy and diverse.

Sustainable fishing means more for tomorrow

Fact: Sustainable fishing helps secure the future for around 34 million people employed in fisheries around the world, and thousands of fisheries are already taking action, with 738 engaged in the MSC program.

It takes all of us to protect our ocean.

Fact: Managing fish stocks effectively relies on collaboration. Policy makers, the fishing industry, scientists and NGOs all have a role to play, united by a common aim: maintaining healthy, productive fish stocks over the long term.

Overfishing is putting our future at risk.

Fact: According to the latest FAO data, approximately 35.5% of global fishery resources are overfished, pushing many stocks beyond safe biological limits.

The ocean is essential to life on Earth.

Fact: It helps regulate the climate, provides over half of the world’s oxygen, is home to a huge variety of animal life, and provides food and livelihoods for millions of people around the globe.

How to spot sustainable seafood

Look for the MSC blue fish tick label at the fresh counter, in the freezer aisle, on tinned and packaged seafood, and on restaurant menus. MSC’s sustainable seafood guide lists certified species available through supermarkets in Australia and New Zealand, and the MSC Australia and New Zealand site has more detail on how certification and Chain of Custody work locally.

Read more: For a full breakdown of what the blue fish tick certifies, how it’s audited, and how it compares with other sustainable seafood labels, see our beginner’s guide to sustainable seafood.