MasterChef winner Larissa Takchi and ocean youth activist Nicola Tsiolis have joined a global call by the Marine Stewardship Council to switch to sustainable seafood for a big blue future this World Oceans Day.

Oceans contain up to 80 per cent of life on earth[i], with seafood providing an essential source of protein to more than 3 billion people across the world [ii]. However, the latest report on the state of the world’s fisheries, to be released tonight by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will reveal the increasing pressures on our oceans. A third of fisheries around the world have been fished beyond sustainable limits, and a further 60% are fished to their maximum capacity[iii].

This World Oceans Day (8 June), the Marine Stewardship Council is launching a new campaign: Little Blue Label, Big Blue Future. The aim is to encourage more of us to make the switch to certified sustainable seafood with the blue fish tick in a bid to end overfishing.

In an emotional video message, Nicola Tsiolis, youth activist, World Oceans Day ambassador and Ocean Youth alumni, said: "I hope for a future where life in our ocean is abundant. When I grow up, I want to see that we had turned the tide on unsustainable fishing and that we had done what we needed to do when it was time. Our actions today can ensure a future full of fish and oceans full of life for my generation. Not just here, but for young people all over the world. We can all choose a big blue future for our ocean right now by choosing sustainable seafood with the blue fish tick."

Larissa Takchi, MasterChef winner 2019, revealed why she’s an advocate for sustainable seafood: "Since I was a child, I’ve loved cooking with seafood. There’s something special about the taste of the ocean right there on our plates. I have huge respect for the ocean and those fishers who brave dangerous conditions all around the world to bring us the very best seafood while respecting the wild natural environment. Choosing sustainable seafood with the blue fish tick has never been easier. Knowing your seafood is sustainable makes it taste that whole lot better. MasterChef has been an excellent platform for me to promote sustainability values close to my heart."

Anne Gabriel who heads up the Oceania region for the international non-profit, the Marine Stewardship Council added: "Every day is World Oceans Day for us, for what we hope will be an infinite reservoir of life and diversity. Our ocean is under pressure from climate change, overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices. One simple action we can take is to choose sustainable seafood with the little blue fish tick for a big blue future.

We’re encouraged to see the growth of sustainable seafood. Hundreds of seafood products carrying the blue fish tick label are widely available in local supermarkets - from canned seafood, to frozen and chilled products. Every time you make that choice, you’re sending a signal through the supply chain, which incentivises more fisheries around the world to get certified as sustainable. This is vital if we’re going to end the global problem of overfishing."

Others joining the call for sustainable seafood with the blue fish tick include science communicator and model Laura Wells, and chef Tom Walton, using the hashtag #bigbluefuture.

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