Enviro friendly Europeans eat NZ Hoki

Enviro friendly Europeans eat NZ Hoki

Confident catch - Sealord vessel Rehua helps provide enviro-friendly Europeans with sustainable seafood

Sealord part of European sustainable seafood drive

This year’s hoki season will net more than just profits for Sealord.

Part of the company’s annual catch will be sold through McDonald’s restaurants in a new campaign set to maximise awareness and access to sustainable fish across Europe.

Sealord will supply around 4% of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish served in McDonald’s restaurants across Europe.

According to Sealord General Manager of International Marketing, Jason Plato, Sealord hoki is one of several fish selected as part of the restaurant chain’s Sustainable Fisheries Policy.

“Sealord hoki has had MSC certification since 2001* and millions of European consumers will now be aware that they are eating sustainable seafood,” says Jason.

McDonald’s has announced it will be introducing MSC products to restaurants across 39 European countries and all McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish will be certified as sustainable.

Sealord has been supplying MSC certified hoki to McDonalds in Europe for more than a decade but this is the first time the products will carry the MSC logo on the packaging.

“Awareness levels of the importance of sustainable fish such as hoki will be increased dramatically by this move. McDonald’s sold more than 100 million Filet-o-Fish portions across Europe last year.

“New Zealand’s global reputation as having some of the best managed fisheries in the world will benefit as a result of improved consumer knowledge,” says Plato.

The McDonald’s announcement has been followed by further positive news for New Zealand hoki, with the Minister of Fisheries, Phil Heatley announcing a potential increase in the total allowable catch from the Western hoki stock thanks to its positive status.

Ends

* In 2001, New Zealand Hoki was the first large whitefish fishery to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. The fishery was re-certified in 2007. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation set up to promote solutions to the problem of overfishing. http://www.msc.org/

About Sealord Group Ltd: Sealord’s global net spans seven continents and we deliver more than $500 million worth of seafood to people in more than 30 countries each year. We employ around 1,100 people throughout New Zealand and over 400 staff off-shore.

Established in 1961, Sealord is half owned by the Maori people of New Zealand, through Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and half owned by leading Japanese fishing company Nissui.

The people of Sealord consider ourselves guardians of our seas and marine life. We are a proactive supporter of New Zealand’s world-class quota management system that ensures Kiwis and people around the world can enjoy New Zealand fish today knowing it is a sustainable asset that is being protected for future generations.

For more about our business sustainability visit www.sealord.com/nz/environment

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