The science behind the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) program is explained
in the new film 'Sustainable Seas' launched today. The film explores the MSC
environmental standards and the measures that fisheries are required to achieve
in order to receive MSC certification.
Featuring interviews with scientists, fisheries and environmental
organizations the documentary demonstrates how fisheries are evaluated, what
certification means for those fisheries and the benefits to the environment.
Case studies from
across the globe
Filmed in Southern England, Scotland and South Africa, the ten minute
documentary uses animations to explain the MSC sustainability standard, and
visits two fisheries which have been through the MSC certification process.
The fisheries featured are SFSAG North Sea haddock which was certified as
sustainable by the MSC on 29th October 2010 and South Africa hake, certified as
sustainable in April 2004 and re-certified in March 2010.
Focusing on the MSC's environmental standards, the film explores the
'scoring system' which has been developed over the past decade with the help of
hundreds of international fisheries and environmental experts. It is comprised
of 3 core principles that require:
- healthy fish stocks
- that the fishery does not jeopardize the supporting
ecosystem
- that management systems ensure the long-term future of
all resources
Why we made the
film
David Agnew, MSC Standards director said "The MSC’s view of
sustainability involves looking beyond just the quantity of fish caught and the
stock’s ability to regenerate. It also requires review of the impact of the
fishery on the ecosystem in which the fish live, on other fish that are caught,
and on the habitat that is encountered by the fishing gear. We hope that the
Sustainable Seas film will demonstrate the MSC environmental standards in an
enjoyable and informative way and be an educational tool for scientists,
fisheries, policy makers and environmental science students".
Click on image above to start video.