© ASC
Fishers, seafood farmers, fish buyers and suppliers, as well as retailers and restaurateurs keen to champion their sustainability credentials, have six weeks to enter the UK’s premier sustainable seafood awards.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) UK and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) UK annual awards are the showcase event of the year and celebrate businesses and individuals working from ocean to plate and farm to fork to offer consumers seafood from healthy stocks and responsible farms.
George Clark, MSC UK & Ireland Programme Director, urged all those engaged in the sustainable seafood industry to enter. There are 15 MSC Award categories this year, with six opening for nominations from today (14 July), through until 29 August. The winners will be announced at a gala event in Scotland in October.
ASC Award Categories include UK Retailer of the Year, UK Retail Supplier of the Year and Brand of the Year. This year, ASC is also introducing the ASC UK Newcomer of the Year Award, which will be awarded to an ASC partner that has newly demonstrated a strong commitment to the ASC programme, contributing to a more sustainable future of seafood farming.
In addition, both MSC and ASC will be presenting a Product of the Year – Consumer Choice award. These awards give the public the opportunity to celebrate their favourite responsibly sourced seafood products, highlighting the role seafood lovers play in driving demand for responsible choices. The public can vote for their favourite MSC product from 15 that have been shortlisted here.
Winners at the last year’s awards hosted at The Box in Plymouth included:
- Sainsbury’s, named MSC UK Supermarket of the Year and ASC UK Retailer of the Year
- Birds Eye and Iceland for their innovative fish finger marketing campaign
- Fish said Fred as ASC Brand of the Year
- Ian Syvret, Jersey lobster fisherman, named Fishing Hero of the Year
“The MSC UK awards continue to reward the outstanding effort, expertise and ingenuity demonstrated across the whole seafood supply chain. With consumers demanding more sustainable seafood than ever, we’re delighted and proud to be able to reward those individuals and organisations playing their part in delivering the mission of our programme, and safeguarding seafood supplies for future generations,” said Clark in a press release.
More details about the MSC and ASC awards, including how to submit a nomination, can be found here.
