Al Porticciolo 84 has become the first restaurant in Italy to be MSC certified. Owned by Michelin star chef and MSC ambassador, Fabrizio Ferrari, Al Porticciolo 84 can now serve sustainable seafood with the MSC label.

The blue MSC label assures consumers that the fish they are buying comes from a sustainable and well-managed fishery that has been independently certified, ensuring that the fish populations and the ecosystems upon which they depend remain healthy and productive.

Located in Lecco near Lake Como, Al Porticciolo 84 is a member of the international restaurant association, Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe.

Fabrizio Ferrari said "I am delighted and honoured. I really hope to be an example for many other chefs. I strongly believe in the MSC's mission and the need to raise awareness of sustainable seafood, especially in Italy. It doesn’t take much­– just purchasing seafood responsibly is a great start. This is a symbol of the importance of protecting our oceans biodiversity for today and the future. We all need to do our part!"

The MSC is widely recognised as the world’s most credible certification program for wild-caught sustainable seafood and supply chain traceability. Any organisation selling or handling MSC certified seafood must ensure that it is correctly labelled and kept separate from other non-certified seafood at all times. This ensures that MSC labelled seafood can be traced back to a sustainable source.

About Fabrizio Ferrari

Fabrizio Ferrari is a 36 year-old law graduate who grew up in his family’s restaurant kitchen. Fabrizio has worked with other renowned and Michelin star chefs, including Rene' Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, Mauro Uliassi at his restaurant in and Enrico Crippa in Alba. Fabrizio will be speaking about certified sustainable seafood at this year’s Identità Golose, one of the most important chefs’ congresses in Europe.

 Marianna Benatti, Communication Manager for the MSC in Italy, said: “The MSC certification of the first Italian restaurant is great news for us. This is an important milestone for the MSC and sustainable seafood in Italy. Many restaurants in Europe are already demonstrating to their customers the importance of sustainable seafood. Now a restaurant in Italy is joining this commitment. I’m proud of Fabrizio and his team for taking this bold and important step.”