Groundbreaking Marine Stewardship Council Survey Explores Global Concerns about the Future of Oceans and Measures Openness to Making Sustainable Choices
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - As a sign of growing eco-anxiety, 89% of Canadians are worried about the state of the oceans - while 7-in-10 Canadians believe their buying habits can make a positive difference - according to a sweeping global survey of more than 25,000 people released today by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Conducted by independent research firm GlobeScan for the MSC - to highlight June 8, 2022, UN World Oceans Day - the biennial survey explores attitudes about ocean health and seafood across 23 countries and is the largest of its kind in the world.
Canadians Concerned about Ocean Pollution and Overfishing
Canadians reported amongst the world's highest levels of concern about the impacts of overfishing on ocean health (51% compared to 44% globally), while 66% of Canadians cited ocean pollution as the top threat (65% globally). Worry about the impacts of climate change (39% compared to 37% globally) rounded out Canadians' top three concerns related to the future health of oceans.
"The good news is that the survey shows 69% of Canadians believe our personal daily choices can make a positive difference to the state of the oceans," says Kurtis Hayne, MSC Canada Program Director, adding that finding has risen from 62% in 2020. According to Hayne, 74% of Canadian seafood consumers surveyed believe that people should eat seafood only from sustainable sources; 21% are already buying sustainable seafood, and 41% are willing to buy sustainable seafood in the future.
From a global perspective, China (62%), Germany (55%) and Sweden (53%) led the rankings for countries where the largest percentage of consumers said they had already changed their diet for environmental reasons, compared to only 34% in Canada and 44% globally.
The top three globally reported motivations to shop for sustainable seafood are:
- 63% healthy oceans are necessary for the future health of the planet
- 63% to prevent ocean wildlife from going extinct
- 51% want my children and grandchildren have healthy oceans
Look for the MSC Blue Fish Label
"Looking for the MSC blue fish label when you purchase wild caught seafood is a powerful way to support certified sustainable fisheries in Canada and globally - and contribute to ocean health," urges Hayne.
In Canada, 28 fisheries currently meet the globally recognized MSC standard for sustainable fishing practises. This means they contribute to maintaining healthy fish stocks and marine biodiversity while reducing ecosystem impacts like bycatch. In 2020 alone Canadians purchased over CDN $300 million of certified sustainable seafood bearing the MSC blue fish label, an amount which Hayne confirms had almost doubled in three years.
Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of MSC, said:
"There is deep concern about the future of the oceans, but the clear message from this global survey is that more people than ever are recognizing that their choices can help change that. It is essential that we act now to safeguard the ocean's biodiversity, food supplies and the livelihoods that depend on them. Consumers and markets are a powerful force for change by rewarding fishers who are fishing our oceans sustainably. However, given the scale of the challenge, it is essential that governments also play their part to ensure that fisheries around the world are managed sustainably."
To coincide with World Ocean Day, the MSC has released a series of videos that dive below the surface on sustainable fishing, showcasing some of the innovations undertaken by fisheries to help safeguard the ocean.
About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization that sets globally recognized, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability.
The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market. It is the only wild-capture fisheries certification and ecolabelling program that meets best practice requirements set by both the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) and ISEAL, the global membership association for sustainability standards. For more information visit msc.org or visit us on social media @MSCbluefish
Survey Methodology
•The survey was carried out by a global insights and advisory consultancy, GlobeScan, in February 2022 in a total of 23 markets: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea (new in 2022), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and USA. Global averages reported are based on all 23 markets unless stated otherwise. For global results, each country is weighted equally, regardless of sample size.
Contact:
Debra Quinn
debquinn@sppublicrelations.com
Source: MSC Canada
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126937
