Many Australian families eagerly anticipate the tradition of indulging in prawns during the festive period - they are a quintessential part of Australian Christmas celebrations. So how can you ensure your festive feast is both delicious and sustainable?
Tip 1: Look for the right certifications
Navigating the world of third-party certifications for seafood can be daunting, but it is a crucial aspect of making responsible choices. When it comes to choosing sustainable seafood, such as prawns, one prominent certification to look for is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and its hard-to-miss ‘blue fish tick' label. This label indicates that seafood such as prawns are wild-caught from an MSC-certified fishery with a commitment to maintain healthy fish populations, minimise environmental impact and adhere to effective and responsible fishing management.
Almost two-thirds of Australia's wild-caught prawns (by weight) are MSC-certified, so keep an eye out for the MSC blue fish tick label on packaging or when at the supermarket deli counter when you’re shopping for seafood this Christmas.
When you see the little blue label on a product, whether it be at the fresh seafood counter, in the freezer or on canned products, it also means the product has been kept separate from non-certified products through every step of the supply chain and can be traced back to an MSC-certified fishery.
Your choice means you’re helping to ensure plentiful seafood supplies for the future and could encourage more fisheries to voluntarily improve their fishing and become certified as sustainable. Many responsible retailers, including leading supermarkets like Coles, are committed to sustainable practices and feature the MSC label on their seafood products.
Tip 2: Reduce food waste
At the end of your meal, you may want to save any prawn heads or shells for stock to reduce food waste and get extra bang for your buck. Alternatively, don’t forget to put them in your FOGO bin if available in your local council. Either way, be nice to your neighbours and freeze anything fishy until it’s time for the bins to be collected in your area – that way they won’t sit in the summer heat and stink up the bin!
As you embark on your seafood shopping journey armed with the knowledge of certifications and the importance of reducing food waste, you’re not just filling your plate with healthy, delicious food, but also celebrating mindful choices. Choosing sustainable prawns this holiday season contributes to securing abundant resources for generations to come.