Partner content: top chefs combine for sustainable seafood cookbook – including celebrity chef Siba Mtongana

The collaboration aims to encourage shoppers to make the best environmental choice when buying the seafood they love.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – an environmental not-for-profit – is launching its first FREE sustainable seafood cookbook in collaboration with ten sensational chefs from across the globe. It is part of an initiative to encourage and inspire shoppers to commit to making the best environmental choice when buying the seafood they love this year, and beyond.

The Blue Cookbook is a digital collection of 10 delicious recipes featuring a variety of species and styles that appeal to a range of preferences and tastes. Options include Basque-style hake, haddock and broccoli bake, and steamed whitefish with rice wine, to name a few. Also contained within its pages is the environmental story behind the fish we eat, showing consumers how their actions can have a big ripple effect on ocean health.

Some of the contributors to the project are our very own South African celebrity chef Siba Mtongana; the Dutch chef, author and entrepreneur Bart van Olphen; Swedish chef and culinary director Frida Ronge; and executive chef Otto Goh from the Shangri-La Hotel Group in China. All those involved are strong advocates for sustainable fishing and responsible sourcing.

Nicolas Guichoux, Chief Programme Officer at the Marine Stewardship Council said: “A new year has arrived, and with it a chance to make better choices for ourselves, our planet and our oceans. We’ve teamed up with 10 incredible chefs to launch a unique sustainable seafood cookbook, which features delicious, healthy and future-friendly recipes from across the globe. By choosing to buy from sustainable sources, everyone can help make sure the seafood we love can be enjoyed for years to come.”

The ocean is a vital part of human life on our planet. It provides a major source of protein to more than 3 billion people [1], and millions rely on fisheries for their livelihood [2]. However, the oceans are under threat – 34% of global fisheries have been fished beyond sustainable limits, with this trend continuing to worsen slightly [3].

For more than 20 years, the MSC has been tackling the problem of overfishing by incentivising people to change their behaviour when buying seafood, through its certification and labelling program. Its international collaborative of partners including scientists, NGOs, fisheries, seafood companies, retailers, and restaurants work hand in hand to ensure seafood is wild, delicious, and above all else, sustainable. 

References:

[1] UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 67 

[2] UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 95 

[3] UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 7 

About the Marine Stewardship Council: 

The MSC ecolabel on a seafood product means it is fully traceable to a wild-catch fishery that has been independently certified to the MSC’s science-based standard for sustainable fishing. Fisheries representing more than 17% of the world’s wild marine catch are engaged in its certification programme and more than 18,000 different MSC labelled products are available on shelves across the globe. 

For more information visit msc.org or visit our social media pages for the South African branch: @MSCinAfrica.