McDonald’s Brazil to carry MSC-certified McFish

McFish served in McDonald’s locations in Brazil gained Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification and will begin carrying the eco-label this month. Other McDonald’s locations carrying MSC-certified fish sandwiches include those in Canada, Europe and the United States.

The Chain of Custody (CoC) certification gained by locations in Brazil ensures McFish hoki can be traced to a fishery that has been certified against MSC standards. The sandwich is popular with Brazilian consumers and is available year-round on McDonald’s menus exclusively in Brazil locations.

“We constantly seek to improve practices, in order to maintain the quality of products offered to our customers and to act transparently, operating sustainably in all processes," said Celso Cruz, director of supply chain of Arcos Dorados, the largest operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Latin America.

"Having the blue ecolabel on boxes of McFish in all McDonald’s restaurants in Brazil will contribute to the health of the world’s oceans by engaging consumers,” said Geoff Bolan, commercial director of the Americas region for the Marine Stewardship Council. “It will spread the message of the importance of choosing sustainably caught seafood in more than 830 restaurants across the country.”

This announcement comes ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics, which are expected to attract millions of visitors to Brazil. In December 2013, the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced a comprehensive agreement to promote MSC certified seafood at the Games.