North Street Chip Shop in Forfar is delighted to have gained the Marine Stewardship Council’s seal of approval, by achieving MSC certification for it’s haddock.

Owner Stuart Atkinson, the NFFF Executive Councillor for Scotland, says, “What this means for our customers is they can buy a fish supper from us and be confident that the fish has come from a sustainable fishing ground and been caught in a sustainable way.”

“It is essential that fish stocks are responsibly-managed to preserve them for future generations; North Street Chip Shop plays its part in this by only purchasing sustainably sourced fish.

“Displaying the MSC logo on our product means we have complete traceability from our counter all the way back to the fishing boat at sea.”

With sustainability and traceability being topical and important aspects for customers there’s a growing interest in gaining MSC Certification to serve MSC certified sustainable fish at Fish and Chip shops. North Street is the latest to join 16 other Fish and Chip shops in the UK who have already gained this certificate.

MSC certification ensures that the fish served has come from a sustainable fish stock that is effectively managed and caught in a way that minimizes environmental impact. Every link in the supply chain is checked to ensure that the MSC label is only displayed on seafood from an MSC certified sustainable fishery.

Around the world, the MSC ecolabel recognises and rewards sustainable fishing, offering a robust, effective and accessible certification program that keeps up with the latest scientific knowledge and industry practices. The MSC ecolabel is only applied to fish and seafood products that come from an MSC-certified fishery. This is why every link in the supply chain, ‘from ocean to plate’, undergoes a Chain of Custody audit for traceability.

Once a fishery has been certified, all companies in the supply chain that wish to handle or sell an MSC certified product not in consumer-ready packaging, must have MSC Chain of Custody certification. This way every link is checked to make sure the MSC label is only displayed on seafood from a MSC certified sustainable fishery. All companies that wish to use the MSC ecolabel must apply to use the MSC ecolabel prior to using it.

To find out more about and how to apply for MSC certification visit their website at www.msc.org, or contact Ruth Westcott at ruth.westcott@msc.org.