A Commitment to Ocean Health
While Pacific Seafood is known for its leading aquaculture practices, its work in wild fisheries is equally deserving of praise. Through long-standing partnerships with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and NOAA, Pacific is helping to ensure that the U.S. seafood supply remains both plentiful and sustainable.
What is MSC Certification?
MSC is the gold standard for wild-capture fisheries certification. To qualify, fisheries must meet rigorous benchmarks for:
- Sustainable fish stock management
- Minimal environmental impact
- Effective oversight and traceability
Pacific works with MSC-certified fisheries and directly supports fisheries improvement projects (FIPs) aimed at helping more U.S. stocks achieve certification.
Pacific’s Role in Certification Success
Pacific Seafood has played a vital role in promoting MSC standards across its supplier base. This includes:
- Investing in traceability tools that track seafood from boat to plate
- Partnering with state and federal agencies on data-sharing and compliance
- Advocating for policy reforms that strengthen fishery oversight
Public Trust Through Science
By aligning with MSC, Pacific gives consumers a transparent way to verify that their seafood supports healthy oceans. It also aligns with growing demand from institutional buyers—such as universities and hospitals—that require proof of environmental sourcing.
Community and Coastal Resilience
Sustainable wild-capture fisheries don’t just protect ocean ecosystems—they sustain working waterfronts and rural economies. Pacific’s efforts support thousands of fishing jobs across the West Coast and Alaska.
MSC in Action: A Case Example
One of Pacific’s key sourcing regions is the West Coast groundfish fishery, a formerly depleted stock that rebounded thanks to collaboration between regulators, scientists, and companies like Pacific. Today, it is one of the largest MSC-certified fisheries in the world.
The Road Ahead
As more consumers demand sustainable options and climate change puts added pressure on marine ecosystems, Pacific Seafood’s MSC partnerships remain a critical component of its mission.
By marrying science, industry collaboration, and public accountability, Pacific proves that wild-capture fisheries can be both profitable and responsible.