Many Brits do not understand key facts about the ocean – including almost a fifth (16%) who do not know our planet is covered by more ocean than land, and one in four (25%) unaware that in some places the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is high, according to the results of a survey commissioned by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the international non-profit and ecolabel.

While 69% correctly identified that overfishing is more widespread today than it was 50 years ago, 31% wrongly thought fish populations can never recover from overfishing, and a further 23% were unsure.

The survey also found strong public concern about ocean health, with 90% of Brits saying they are worried about the state of the ocean. Climate change, pollution and declining fish populations were among the main concerns.

Released on World Ocean Day, 8 June, the data from independent research company Globescan [https://globescan.com] highlights both the scale of public misunderstanding about the ocean and the need for greater awareness that, with the right management, fish stocks can rebound. The MSC’s new report, Fishing for the Future [https://tinyurl.com/5ba68bj5], also released today shows examples of fish stocks that recovered when effective, science-based measures were put in place to manage the fisheries targeting them.

Cornish hake, which features in the report, was overexploited and declined in the early 1990s. Sustainable management and small changes such as introducing larger mesh sizes in gillnets, helped rebuild the stock and maintain it at a healthy level.

George Clark, MSC UK & Ireland Programme Director, said: “Our work with fisheries around the world, and Cornish hake is one such example, shows that whilst there is no doubting the scale of the challenge, recovery is possible.

“With science-based management, strong collaboration and long-term commitment, it is possible to manage our marine resources sustainably. That is a message of hope — and one we need more people to hear and act on.”

East Atlantic bluefin tuna was close to collapse at the end of the 20th century. But a comprehensive rebuilding plan, supported by strict rules for countries targeting this iconic species, has helped the stock recover to its highest level since the 1960s and it is now being fished once more in Cornwall.

In the Iberian sardine fishery, Portuguese and Spanish fishers worked together under a new management plan to rebuild the stock. By 2025, the population of adult sardines was almost four times larger than it was in 2015. Sardines from Iberia are available to UK shoppers at Waitrose.

Writing the foreword to Fishing for the Future, Manuel Barange, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), said: “The examples in this report show how progress can be achieved in different contexts when science, political commitment and stakeholders work hand in hand. The priority now is to consolidate and extend this progress, ensuring that fishery resources continue to sustain ecosystems, economies and future generations.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. Fisheries representing 20% of the world’s wild marine catch are engaged in its certification program. For more information visit msc.org or visit our social media pages.

For more information, including images and interview requests contact media@msc.org

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