FoodBlog Pretoria

Chefs and fishers from 18 countries unite to support sustainable seafood for healthy oceans! 

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the ocean not-for-profit responsible for the world’s leading sustainable seafood ecolabel, has launched its highly anticipated ‘Ocean Cookbook 2023’.

The free digital cookbook brings together chefs and fishers from all over the world to create a collection of healthy, delicious everyday recipes that tell a sustainability story about the seafood we all love. 

The ocean is a vital part of human life on our planet. It provides daily protein for over a billion people, it is a reliable source of food for billions more, and 200 million people are employed directly or indirectly by the seafood industry. But our ocean needs help: overfishing, illegal and destructive fishing, and climate change not only negatively impact species and ecosystems, but communities too. The cookbook highlights how easy it is to rustle up affordable, healthy, easy-to-make and sustainable seafood dishes at home – suitable for the whole family. The cookbook is the centerpiece of the MSC’s communications and marketing campaign for the new year, traditionally a time for healthy and more environmentally conscious eating.

Louanne Mostert, Senior Communications Manager for the MSC adds:

A new year is a new start and a new opportunity to make better choices and take care of our ocean for future generations. At the MSC, we recognise all seafood consumers for supporting sustainable fisheries through your purchasing choices. When you buy seafood with the blue MSC label on pack, you’re helping to protect oceans, livelihoods and fish for the future.

“That is why we need to put measures in place now so that our kids – future generations – also benefit from the ocean. That is why we work with the MSC to ensure we minimise our impact on the marine environment,” said Wilfred Esau, Skipper at Irvin & Johnson (I&J), as part of the South African hake fishery which has been certified as sustainable since 2004.

Included in the choice of recipes are a simple and delicious Cape hake recipe by South Africa’s much adored chef and nutritionist, Naledi Toona. “Cooking has always been an act of love for me and hake is such a versatile, sustainable and quick to cook ingredient. It allows me to show love to my family, today, and to those in the future,” she adds.

The cookbook includes stunning photography from internationally renowned food photographer, David Loftus, who has worked with Jamie Oliver throughout his career. David Loftus is a great believer in sustainable fishing: “This goes way beyond food. It’s about the future of our Ocean. We need to step up to the plate right now, or we’re in deep water.”

The MSC invites all seafood consumers to join in their global movement “Big Blue Future” by cooking sustainable seafood from their new cookbook.

View the FREE digital cookbook here