Courtesy of SeafoodNews.com:
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) shared findings that indicated that the public is growing concerned about the state of the oceans and an increasing number of people believe that their seafood shopping decisions can help make a difference.
The survey, which focused on the attitudes to seafood and ocean health was carried out by GlobeScan in 23 countries and involves 25,000 people. The MSC said this survey was the largest of its kind.
The MSC said the survey found that 90% of respondents were worried about the state of the oceans, with the Portuguese, South Koreans and French the most worried and the Chinese, Polish, Singaporean and South African the most optimistic.
The top concerns of the ocean were pollution (65%), overfishing (44%), and climate change (37%). Plus, the MSC said there was a notable increase up 8% from two years ago in seafood consumers who believe their choices can make a difference in improving the health of the oceans.
Almost three-quarters (73%) of consumers surveyed believe that people should eat seafood from sustainable sources, up from 65% compared with 2 years ago, per an MSC press release.
Across the globe, respondents said the top reasons for protecting the oceans was that they are necessary for the health of the planet (61%), prevent extinctions (60%) and keeping oceans healthy for future generations (51%).
Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of MSC, said:
“There is deep concern about the future of the oceans, but the clear message from this global survey is that more people than ever are recognizing that their choices can help change that. It is essential that we act now to safeguard the ocean’s biodiversity, and food supplies and the livelihoods that depend upon them.
Consumers and markets are a powerful force for change, rewarding fishers who are fishing our oceans sustainably. However, given the scale of the challenge, it is essential that governments play their part, to ensure that fisheries around the world are managed sustainably.”