The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a non-profit that sets a global standard for sustainable fishing, has commissioned new research through YouGov* to make head and tail of Australia’s love of prawns, and how we can best enjoy them sustainably.

Prawns are set to take centre stage again this festive season, with 55% of Australians surveyed ranking prawns the most essential ingredient for an Aussie Christmas. 

Australians typically tuck into around 22,000 tonnes of prawns** during the festive period, the equivalent of 10 Olympic sized swimming pools full of prawns. That’s estimated to be 40% of our annual prawn consumption.

The survey revealed that 5 million Australians are planning to enjoy even MORE prawns this Christmas compared to last year. This is largely driven by the desire to eat better quality food (48%), support local food producers (38%), and eat more food from sustainable sources (37%). Only 11% (2.2 million) are planning to eat less prawns this Christmas.

With almost 3 million Australians eating MORE rather than less prawns this Christmas ensuring a sustainable supply of prawns is more important than ever before. In total, 16.7 million Australians plan to indulge in prawns over the festive season. Of these, 10.3 million Australians plan to buy MSC certified sustainable prawns this Christmas, motivated by supporting local fishing communities (39%), safeguarding seafood for future generations (35%), and minimising the environmental impact of their Christmas feast (28%).

Which prawns are certified sustainable?

Skull Island Tiger Prawns
Spencer Gulf King Prawns
Shark Bay King and Tiger Prawns
Raptis Ocean Pearl Banana Prawns
Hanna V King Prawns
Karumba Banana Prawns
The Fishery Australian Raw Banana Prawns

For those popping to the supermarket to do the Christmas shop, the top selling MSC certified prawns are banana prawns found at the deli counter at Coles supermarkets nationwide.

Speaking ahead of the Christmas rush, Senior Category Manager at Coles, Ryan Poyner, said: “At Coles, we’re committed to responsibly sourcing fresh seafood and we’re proud to have been named Australia’s Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket for five years running. Prawns are incredibly popular at Christmas time – we sell about 10 times the volume of prawns in the week leading up to Christmas day compared to an average week. Customers will find a wide range of MSC certified sustainable seafood in store including MSC certified banana prawns at our deli counters at a great price. Just look for the MSC blue fish tick label and be part of recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices that allow us to enjoy prawns for many more Christmases to come.”

1. Green or raw prawns are best for any prawn dish that you're looking to serve hot. 

2. To save time, pre-prepare as much as you can. 

3. Prawns are more delicious the longer they marinate.

4. Skewer up 5-6 prawns and serve them topped with a zingy chilled salsa.

5. Cooked prawns are best in cold dishes such as salads or prawn cocktails. If you’re serving cooked prawns in the middle of the table, serve them on ice for longevity and freshness. 

Speaking about prawns at Christmas, Courtney Roulston, said: “There’s nothing more Aussie than prawns at Christmas. They’re delicious, quick, and easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of ways. As a chef, I want to know where my food comes from. It can’t get better than knowing your prawns are Australian, wild-caught and MSC certified. Just look for the MSC blue fish tick label when shopping and check out our new prawn and lobster recipes at msc.org/christmas designed for Christmas and beyond. Here’s to a fabulous summer full of joy and cheer.”

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