Bumble Bee To Launch MSC Albacore And Skipjack In USA ff

Bumble Bee Foods, leading North America seafood company, announced the introduction of Wild Selections® – a new high-quality branded line of products certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Wild Selections® will support World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) efforts to protect marine life and expand sustainable fishing practices globally and help build continued awareness of the MSC-certified seafood program.



The announcement was made yesterday during a press event at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels.

Announcing the promotion with WWF and MSC, and the arrival of the new product line, Bumble Bee President and CEO Chris Lischewski said that the company is committing thirteen cents per can, for a minimum of USD 1 million, from the sale of Wild Selections® products over the next five years. These funds will support WWF programs and to expand sustainable fishing practices globally.

The first products to be launched under Wild Selections® in 2013 will include MSC-certified albacore and lightmeat tuna. Later phases will include MSC-certified salmon, shrimp, clams and sardines.

“The introduction of Wild Selections is a natural step in the work that Bumble Bee has been involved in to support responsible global fisheries management,” Lischewski said. “As a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation working alongside WWF and other leaders in marine resource management, we saw a great opportunity to introduce a line of MSC-certified products that would help further our collective mission to promote sustainable fishing practices and to protect fisheries stocks for generations to come.”

“The introduction of the MSC-certified Wild Selections product line demonstrates Bumble Bee's deep commitment to sustainable seafood,” said Bill Fox, vice president and managing director of fisheries at World Wildlife Fund.

Speaking at the Brussels announcement alongside Lischewski and Fox, MSC CEO Rupert Howes remarked, “Global seafood markets are increasingly demanding credible, independent certification and full traceability of their seafood choices. This trend is not going to go away. MSC provides that assurance, rewards sustainable fishing practices and encourages improvements in the way our oceans are fished where required.”