Prince Charles has warned of the inevitable nightmare the world faces if the issue of overfishing is not addressed.
At a reception marking the 10 year anniversary of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) at Clarence House yesterday (14 July), the Prince addressed a crowd of fishing industry leaders including restaurateurs and caterers.
The MSC promotes sustainable fishing methods across the globe and accredits food service operators and restaurateurs for good practice. The certification means that MSC eco-labelled fish operators’ menus can be traced back to the fishery – and often the boat – that caught it.
Prince Charles praised the MSC for its efforts over the last decade but added that a lot needs to be done to explain to consumers the problems and pressures related to fish stocks. He also warned delegates about the dangers related to bycatch.
“What I cannot understand is that of 84m tonnes of fish caught every year, seven million is discarded. Bycatch is immoral and utterly obscene and I cannot comprehend how this can still happen,” he said.
“The science tells us very clearly that if we continue to fish without any care for the long-term sustainability of fish stocks, we will soon face a nightmare collapse in stocks and inevitable demise of the poorest people in the world.”
MSC chief executive Rupert Howes added: “Transforming the global seafood market to a sustainable basis is a major, but achievable aim. It is one to which everyone, individually or corporately, can make a real contribution by making the most environmentally sound choices when harvesting or buying seafood.”
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By Kerstin Kühn
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