Among the honorees on October 15 at the FAO headquarters in Rome were the MSC and the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative

MSC and the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative Receive United Nations Awards in Rome

ITALY
Friday, October 17, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

FAO Recognizes Global Leaders for Their Contribution to Sustainable Fisheries, Food Security, and Waste Reduction

ROME, Italy—The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) celebrated its 80th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of its Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries by presenting multiple awards to organizations for their impact on global food security and sustainability. Among the honorees on October 15 at the FAO headquarters in Rome were the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative.

MSC: Global Leadership in Sustainable Fishing

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a non-profit organization founded over 25 years ago to combat overfishing, was recognized for its contribution to the responsible development of fisheries. Rupert Howes, MSC CEO, accepted the award.

• MSC operates in line with the principles of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which was adopted in 1995 by 160 countries.

• Currently, 20.7% of the total global marine catch comes from 738 MSC-certified fisheries worldwide.

• In 2022, MSC data was recognized as an official progress indicator for two of the 21 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.

100% Great Lakes Fish: A Binational Blue Economy Model

The 3-year-old initiative, led by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers (GSGP), received the “Blue Transformational Leader Award for Sustainable Aquatic Food Systems.” John Schmidt, GSGP program manager, received the accolade during the 2025 World Food Forum (WFF).

The binational initiative, which involves seven U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, promotes the full utilization of every fish caught to drive sustainable blue economy growth and reduce waste in the Great Lakes region.

• The project includes the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge, where processors commit to utilizing 100% of every fish by the end of this year.

• The Pledge has recruited 44 processors and aquaculture farms, representing about 90% of all commercially caught fish from the Great Lakes.

David Naftzger, GSGP Executive Director, commented that the UN recognition indicates they are "on the right path toward reducing waste while maximizing the value of [the region's] fish resources."

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