Linnéa Engström will be vacating her European Parliament seat to join the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as its program director for Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea Region, the organization announced on 24 April.
Effective 29 April, Engström will take over for Minna Epps, who is leaving MSC after eight years of service to pursue a position at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), leading the Global Marine and Polar Program.
“It feels great to be able to hand over to someone who is so passionate about sustainable fishing. Linnéa Engström knows E.U. fisheries policy inside out. Her experience from the European Parliament will help ensure that MSC-labeled seafood get an even more prominent role – both in the debates and on our plates,” Epps said.
Engström has represented Sweden as a member of European Parliament and the Swedish Green Party since 2014, and has also served as vice chair of the European Parliament Fisheries Committee (PECH). With PECH, she was a driving force behind legislation aimed at providing more stringent control and transparency in international fishing. Engström is the author of “Queen-fish – recipe for sustainable development,” a book based on fishing in Senegal.
Engström said her new position with MSC is a dream job for her.
“Overfishing and illegal fishing threaten the entire marine ecosystem,” she said in a press release. “The MSC has an important role to play in creating long-term sustainable fishing. For me, it is therefore a dream job to contribute to MSC's work to protect our oceans’ future.”
Camiel Derichs, MSC’s regional director in Europe, said the division looks forward to tapping into Engström’s policy expertise.
“I am delighted to welcome Linnéa to the MSC team in Europe. Her experience in European parliament – engaging in the development of the fisheries policy – will bring much value to the MSC. We hope that the opportunities that the MSC program offers to fisheries, will continue to incentivize sustainable practices,” Derich said.
Image courtesy of Linnéa Engström’s website
