There are many ways to achieve sustainable fisheries and help fish stocks recover. MCS believes that consumers have an ever more important role to play. MCS has developed a Sustainable Seafood Programme, providing guidance for consumers and retailers on buying the most sustainably caught fish and shellfish.

The overall aim of the MCS Sustainable Seafood Programme is to:

• Promote increased awareness and thus demand for fish from sustainable, well-managed stocks, caught using methods that minimise impacts on the environment and non-target species. MCS provides accessible and accurate information to allow consumers, from the individual to the retailer, to make an informed and sustainable choice.

MCS has developed a number of resources to promote sustainable seafood, and help the public and retailers make choices which support the future for fish:

Good Fish Guide
MCS published the first edition of the Good Fish Guide in 2002.  This printed book provides information on the status of 60 of the most commonly sold fish and the impacts of the fishing methods used to catch them. It includes detailed background on fish biology, fisheries management, fishing methods and their impacts, and labelling schemes.   Order a copy of the Good Fish Guide

Pocket Good Fish Guide
To help consumers make the right choice when shopping, on holiday, or at a restaurant MCS produces a Pocket Good Fish Guide that fits neatly in your wallet. The Pocket Good Fish Guide lists the Fish to Eat and Fish to Avoid based on MCS ratings relating to stock status, fisheries management, and impacts of fishing methods.   To order your free copy of the pocket Good Fish Guide please email info@mcsuk.org

Fishonline.org
To make information on sustainable seafood more widely available, MCS published FISHonline in 2004. Fishonline.org provides information on over 120 species of fish and shellfish and advice on the status of individual species and/or stocks and a rating based on their relative sustainability. Updated annually based on the most recent research and scientific advice on fish stocks, Fishonline is the most comprehensive guide to sustainable seafood in the UK.

Fishwatch
To help MCS identify the most ‘fish-friendly' supermarket we are asking shoppers to participate in Fishwatch and complete a questionnaire to record details of which fish are on sale and the information that is made available on where fish have been caught. You can help, download a Fishwatch questionnaire

Sustainable Fish Sourcing Policy for Retailers
Supermarkets and major retailers have a key role to play in shaping how our fisheries and fish-farms are managed.  MCS has advised all the key retail chains that sell seafood in the UK and several have adopted sustainable fish sourcing policies as a result.  See Fishonline.org for more information.