Aussies encouraged to buy sustainable prawns in festive period

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has released data in time for Christmas, revealing that this year has been the most sustainable year of prawns yet, with 63% of annual prawn catches now MSC-certified.

MSC certification means demonstrating healthy fish stocks, minimised ecosystem impacts and effective management through independent audits held annually.

John Susman, Fishtales Director, said the company’s fisheries operate under stringent sustainability standards, ensuring that each prawn is responsibly sourced.

It is expected that, during the festive period, Australians will tuck into at least 22,000 tonnes of prawns, enough to fill 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools. There is an abundance of MSC-certified banana prawns from Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery due to heavy rainfall in early 2023.

Despite the prawn feeding frenzy, MSC revealed that 86% of Australians are concerned about the state of the world’s oceans, including the effects of overfishing. Therese Murphy from the Ocean King Prawn Company, which will be fishing for prawns right up to Christmas Eve, has urged shoppers to request MSC-certified prawns when shopping.

With recent reports of widespread greenwashing and high environmental concern, the ACCC has released new guidance for businesses making environmental claims.

The MSC blue fish tick label can be found on around 400 sustainable seafood products at all major supermarkets.

Image credit: iStock.com/LauriPatterson