The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has chosen the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as one of the preferred certification schemes for its Sustainable Sourcing Code for Fishery Products.

The MSC is the most rigorous and globally recognised ecolabelling scheme for sustainable seafood. This is the third time, after London (2012) and Rio (2016), that the MSC has played a role in supporting Olympic and Paralympic Games’ Organising Committees in meeting their sustainability goals at the world’s biggest sporting event. 

With its sustainability concept of ‘Be Better, Together - for the planet and the people’ [1], and Sustainable Sourcing Code for Fishery Products [2], the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee determines that suppliers shall procure fishery products that satisfy a list of conditions regarding the environmental impact on marine ecosystems. Seafood which is independently certified to the MSC Standard satisfies these conditions. 

The MSC Standard is the only certification and labelling program for wild-capture fisheries that meets best practice guidelines set by both the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization and ISEAL, the global membership association for sustainability standards. 

To be certified as sustainable, fisheries must reach the rigorous requirements set by the MSC Standard which relate to sustainability of the fish stock, minimising environmental impact, and effective fisheries management.   

Nicolas Guichoux, Chief Program Officer at the Marine Stewardship Council said:  

“As Japan is one of the largest seafood markets in the world, and among the biggest seafood importers globally, we welcome the Tokyo Organising Committee’s recognition of the MSC for its Sustainable Sourcing Code for Fishery Products at the Tokyo 2020. 

“We do hope that the committee’s decision to include certified sustainable seafood in its procurement policy will be a step towards greater adoption of sustainable seafood sourcing policies in Japan. If this is realised, it will be wonderful news for the sustainable seafood movement as Japan remains the most influential market in the world when it comes to fisheries and aquaculture.” 

ENDS

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