Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) announced it will purchase all of its wild-caught fresh and frozen fish for the North American market from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fisheries within the next three to five years.
The first step toward this goal will be to have product that currently comes from MSC-certified fisheries carry the MSC eco-label starting later this year. “We believe it’s absolutely essential to take a leadership role in working with suppliers to ensure that the world’s wild fish populations can grow and replenish themselves,” said Peter Redmond, Wal-Mart vice president and divisional merchandise manager of deli and seafood. “The MSC label assures our customers that they are buying from a retailer that is taking concrete steps to keep wild-caught fish available to present and future generations.”
Wal-Mart is encouraging fisheries to adopt policies that ensure customers will continue to be supplied with a full range of wild-caught fish. The company currently works with a number of MSC-certified fisheries and is giving non-certified suppliers three to five years to develop plans and programs to become certified.
Said Rupert Howes, chief executive of the Marine Stewardship Council, “We hope this commitment to the MSC program will encourage other fisheries to participate in the assessment process and provide a powerful new route to raise awareness of sustainable seafood choices with the North American public.”
Said Peter Redmond, “We are also working on programs for farm-raised shrimp and salmon and hope to be able to discuss our plans in those areas in the near future.”
In addition to its work with the MSC, Wal-Mart is partnering with Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund to make improvements such as reducing harmful environmental impacts and encouraging support for broader marine eco-system management and protection activities.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent non-profit organization set up to promote solutions to the problem of over-fishing. Its distinctive blue eco-label can now be found on more than 300 products sold in major retail chains in more than 24 countries.
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