FELTHAM, United Kingdom—On World Oceans Day, Nomad Foods, Europe’s leading frozen food company, called on a public private partnership to protect global fish stocks and ocean habitats.

“World Oceans Day is an annual reminder of the collective impact humans are having on the ocean, and a call to action for all of us to protect this precious resource while we still have time,” said Stefan Descheemaeker, Chief Executive of Nomad Foods. “It is also a day for us to celebrate the work being done by companies, experts, governments and individual consumers to protect our oceans for future generations.”

“As the world’s largest buyer of certified wild-caught white fish, we recognise the responsibility we have to our oceans and in particular our role in encouraging fisheries to continuously improve their practices to ensure the health of fish stocks, vulnerable species and ocean habitats,” he added.

The sea is home to most of the world’s biodiversity, sustaining life on earth and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people around the globe. Oceans are a source of food and oxygen, and they protect us from excess heat and carbon emissions. We know that much of the ocean is now seriously degraded. Without healthy oceans we have a precarious future ahead.

Nomad Foods is committed to making progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. But no single company can make the necessary headway on SDG 14. Instead, the entire food industry must work collaboratively with governments, NGOs, certification bodies and consumers to ensure our oceans continue to thrive.

Nomad calls on all stakeholders to act to reverse years of careless practices, from tackling plastic pollution to ensuring fish stocks are robust into the future and marine habitats are protected. For example, it urges stakeholders to:  

• Promote best practices for sustainable fishing. Nomad is a co-founder of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and has worked with its teams for more than 20 years to champion transformation in the fishing industry. The MSC certification is a way of showing that a fishery meets international best practice for sustainable fishing. Today, more than 97% of the wild captured fish Nomad sources for its iglo, Birds Eye, Findus and La Cocinera brands’ products is MSC certified, and by the end of 2025, it aims to use 100% fish and seafood from sustainable fishing or responsible farming.
• Bring others along on the journey – With more than one-third of the world’s fish stocks classified as overfished, it is imperative that we continue to help transition more fisheries globally to certified sustainable practices. This requires a long-term view and collaboration across the supply chain. For example, in 2020 the Namibia hake trawl and longline fishery became the first fishery in Namibia to be MSC certified. Nomad Foods is one of the first companies to bring products made from MSC-certified Namibian Hake to European consumers, having supported them on their journey to certification for many years. Supporting well-managed fisheries on their journey to MSC assessment is something Nomad Foods will continue doing as certification is essential to increase the future availability of sustainable fish and ultimately, protect oceans and fish stocks.
• Forge partnerships to drive change – This year Nomad Foods launched a partnership with WWF to promote biodiversity through nature-positive on-land farming practices. It is equally committed to working collaboratively with industry-leading groups to protect our oceans. According to the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), between 46% and 70% of floating microplastics in the ocean by weight may be attributed to abandoned or lost fishing gear known as ghost gear. Nomad Foods joined the GGGI in 2020 to help lead the world in the fight against the impact of lost and abandoned fishing gear. It also developed the Ghost Gear Reporter app so that anyone can report the finding of lost gear. Some of Nomad Foods’ employees voluntarily translated the GGGI Reporter app into seven European languages so local communities can use it more effectively.