As Australians dig into an estimated 12,150 tonnes* of prawns this festive season, the latest figures from YouGov reveal that only 1 in 4 Australians believe that Aussie wild-caught prawns will be readily available at Christmas 20 years from now.  

Among those who don’t believe wild-caught prawns will be readily available to eat at Christmas in 20 years from now, the main reasons include overfishing (57%), climate change (54%) and pollution (50%) with fears that the iconic tradition of prawns at Christmas will become too expensive (42%) and that we’ll rely on imported farmed options (30%). 

Education about the improvements being made by fisheries is key to reassuring the public, says Anne Gabriel at the Marine Stewardship Council. “Over two-thirds of Aussie wild-caught prawns are certified to the MSC’s global standard for sustainable fishing. These fisheries are demonstrating continuous improvements in stock health, ecosystem impacts, and responsible management meaning they’re well-placed for climate impacts.  

“For instance, research by the Northern Prawn Fishery, Charles Darwin University and CSIRO has shown a 17% reduction in sea snake interactions since the adoption of the Tom's Fisheye, a bycatch reduction device that's integrated into trawl nets to reduce the capture of unwanted fish.” 

The Marine Stewardship Council believes environmental concerns are increasingly part of the drive toward us adopting healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.  

According to research consultancy GlobeScan, Australians that are eating more fish are typically eating less red meat and poultry and those eating less fish are eating more vegetables.  

These diet shifts are being driven by health (62%), saving money (48%), eating better quality food (39%) and environmental reasons (35%) such as eating food from a more sustainable source, protecting the environment, reducing climate change impacts and protecting the ocean. 

With average seafood consumption lagging behind the recommended two portions per week, PhD qualified Nutrition Scientist and Dietitian, Dr Joanna McMillan emphasises that wild-caught sustainable prawns are an easy and affordable option that can help us maintain a healthy diet during the summer, while also looking after our ocean. “Wild-caught prawns are high in protein, low in saturated fat, and just 50 grams provide the recommended daily intake of Omega-3 fats. They also provide an array of essential nutrients including iron and zinc, key for an optimal immune system, and iodine, often forgotten about yet crucial for brain function and metabolism.” 

“Include prawns on your summer menu from barbeques to quick mid-week dinners. Be sure to look for the blue fish tick for sustainably sourced options.” 

Shoppers looking for sustainable prawns this Summer are being advised to look for the MSC blue fish tick label at Coles and Woolworths. 

Speaking ahead of the Christmas rush, Senior Category Manager at Coles, Alistair Hamit, said: “We go to great lengths to bring our customers Australian MSC certified sustainable banana and king prawns at our Deli. Just look for the MSC blue fish tick label on the ticket to be sure your prawns come from an MSC certified sustainable fishery doing what they can to ensure we have prawns on the Christmas table for generations to come. 

This festive season, we expect to sell 250,000 kg of MSC certified prawns, with hands down great value.” 

Woolworths Director of Meat, Poultry & Seafood, Tim Dudding, said: "Christmas is a time when seafood, particularly prawns, takes centre stage on Australian tables. We're proud to offer a range of MSC-certified options for our customers to choose from and we are incredibly proud to have been recognised as the National Community Champion this year at MSC's Sustainable Seafood Awards. 

"Customers can keep an eye out for the MSC blue fish tick label when shopping at Woolworths this Christmas. A great product for Christmas is the Karumba Raw Banana Prawns 1kg, which can be found in the freezer section." 

To find out more about where to buy MSC-certified prawns this Christmas, visit msc.org/christmas.