FOS compares favorably to MSC, founder says

When comparing WWF’s routine assessments of seafood ecolabels (Accenture, December 2009 vs Blueyou, October 2010), Friend of the Sea (FOS) shows a constant improvement. MSC reliability has instead fallen from the incredible 95% to the current 73%, leaving the gap between the two alternative projects equal to an almost insignificant 15%, Friend of the Sea Executive Director, Paolo Bray says.

In a FOS newsletter, Mr Bray said the study’s results  seem to confirm the recent strong critics from a number of scientists published in Nature http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v467/n7311/full/467028a.html, affirming that MSC ‘is failing to protect the environment and needs radical reform’. The details of the WWF study furthermore underline Friend of the Sea superiority in social, energy and waste management standards and requirements. These are fundamental aspects of seafood’s origin certification, since consumers are increasingly demanding on these important issues.

“We expect that this positive evidence from WWF, a main conservation organization and also founder of MSC, will generate even more interest in Friend of the Sea from companies looking for reliable certification projects,” concludes Paolo Bray, founder and director of Friend of the Sea. “We do not see MSC as a competing scheme but as a potential partner in reaching the common objective of marine conservation. We sincerely hope WWF and MSC could share our same vision and approach in the future.”