Company Recognized for 20-year Partnership Focused on Sustainable Seafood
DOVER, NH, December 8, 2021 – The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) today awarded Henry & Lisa Lovejoy, the founders of EcoFish, a 2021 MSC US Ocean Champion Award for their continued dedication to seafood sustainability and for going above and beyond the requirements of the MSC standards. EcoFish was the first seafood supplier in the US to gain MSC Chain of Custody certification and celebrates 20 years of partnership with the MSC. EcoFish joins three other MSC commercial or fishery partners named 2021 MSC US Ocean Champions.
EcoFish’s Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood and Freshé brands proudly carry the MSC blue fish label on products in over 4,500 grocery retailers throughout the US; supporting sustainable wild tuna, salmon, pollock, and sardine fisheries along with Aquaculture Stewardship Council certified farmed shrimp and salmon. In February, Freshé will be adding MSC certified skipjack tuna to their global recipes.
EcoFish Founders Henry & Lisa Lovejoy state: “We are tremendously honored to receive the MSC’s Ocean Champion Award. We are very proud of our 20-year partnership with the MSC and have enjoyed helping pioneer the sustainable seafood market with them. The health of the oceans is critical to the future of our planet, and we are infinitely grateful to the MSC for their leadership, exceptional program, and tireless work.”
Eric Critchlow, MSC US program director, said: “The MSC US Ocean Champion Award is an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the hard work of our partners in supporting sustainable fisheries and a healthy ocean. EcoFish’s 20-year partnership with the MSC, commitment to ecolabeling their products, and efforts to educate their customers about the importance of certified sustainable seafood is a testament to their hard work. We are honored to bestow the Ocean Champion Award and title upon them.”
The MSC US Ocean Champion Award is an annual award that was established in 2017 to reward fisheries and companies engaged in the MSC program who demonstrate continued leadership on sustainability above and beyond the MSC Fisheries or Chain of Custody Standards. Past honorees include the Annette Island Reserve Salmon Fishery/Metlakatla Indian Community, Bamboo Sushi, and the Sustainable Restaurant Group, Bar Harbor Foods, Sam’s Club Health & Wellness Team, TransOcean, US Foods, Vital Choice Seafood, and Whole Foods Market. Awardees are selected based on their demonstrated leadership and the ability to spark positive change within the industry. The custom glass award featuring a wave is handmade in downtown Seattle, WA.
Sourcing sustainable seafood is increasingly important for planetary health, and a growing priority for consumers. The ocean feeds billions of people and provides 80% of the world’s biodiversity. A report by the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) shows that sustainable fisheries are more productive and resilient to change1, and the UN Environment Program reports that sustainable fishing protects ocean biodiversity2. For seafood consumers, eating sustainable fish is increasingly important, with 55% of U.S. seafood consumers believing we must consume seafood only from sustainable sources to protect the ocean3. Furthermore, 64% of Americans want retailers’ and brands’ claims about sustainability and the environment to be clearly labeled by an independent organization, such as the MSC. EcoFish has demonstrated leadership in not only sourcing certified sustainable seafood, but also by displaying the MSC blue fish label on packaging so that consumers have a simple and globally identifiable way to know that sustainability claims are credible. This demonstrates Ecofish’s dedication to ensuring wild seafood is available for generations to come.
