Marine Stewardship Council doubles ocean funding to nearly £2m

The fund is now open to applications for research and work that will help accelerate and maintain progress in sustainable fishing around the world

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced it is doubling funding to safeguard the oceans by around £950,000 a year.

That’s in addition to the £1 million seed funding announced last year, taking the total to nearly £2 million.

The Ocean Stewardship Fund is now open to applications for research and work that will help accelerate and maintain progress in sustainable fishing around the world, particularly in the Global South.

Research has suggested overfishing and climate change pose huge threats to ocean biodiversity and marine ecosystem health.

A landmark publication by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) previously reported climate change is impacting economies and communities that rely on fishing for work and food.

MSC Chief Executive Rupert Howes said: “Healthy oceans are essential to the environment, economies and communities. We’ve seen incredible progress in sustainable fishing, particularly in the Northern hemisphere. Yet the rate of overfishing continues to increase at an alarming rate, particularly in the Global South.

“We urgently need to accelerate action and drive change at scale. The MSC is committed to doing more to empower scientists, fisheries, businesses and governments in a collective effort to safeguard oceans and seafood supplies. That’s why we’re going beyond the commitments made last year. Funds from the sale of every product sold with the blue MSC label will not go directly into projects and research to safeguard oceans for future generations.”

The Norwegian Government recently pledged NOK3 billion to promote sustainable ocean management.

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