Market Trends and Potential Benefits of Eco-Certification to Inform Manitoba Commercial Fisheries

The report examines the international demand for eco-certified seafood, noting a growing preference for sustainable products among youth in the US and a strong market in Northwestern Europe. It highlights that while consumers may pay a premium, this rarely reaches producers. To support Manitoba fishers, the report recommends improving information distribution through community liaisons and accessible formats like infographics, while urging federal and provincial officials to engage in more direct listening sessions with fishing communities.

• International markets, specifically the United States and Europe, account for 80% of the fish commercially produced in Manitoba.
• In the United States, there is a strong preference for sustainable brands among younger consumers; 62% of 'Gen Z' Americans prefer sustainable brands and 73% are willing to pay more for certified sustainable products.
• Despite consumer willingness to pay more, the price premium for eco-certified seafood in US and European markets is estimated at 16%, and there is little evidence that this premium reaches the producer as extra revenue.
• US consumers demonstrate their preference for sustainability primarily by choosing which grocery stores to shop at rather than selecting specific certified products once inside the store.
• Northwestern Europe is the largest market for sustainable seafood on the continent, while Southern Europe saw the highest growth rate in the supply of MSC-certified products (31%) between 2019 and 2020.
• Eco-certification can provide producers with benefits including market access and retention, improved operational efficiency, risk management, better access to finance, and improved occupational health and safety.
• Communication gaps exist between government and fishers regarding eco-certification; fishers prefer quick summary documents like pamphlets and posters over lengthy reports due to their long working hours.
• The Negginan Fishing Station serves as a successful model for information distribution by using a leadership role to report back to community fishers and conduct collective decision-making votes.

APA

Kroft, E., Luna, E., & Elder, S. (2025). Market Trends and Potential Benefits of Eco-Certification to Inform Manitoba Commercial Fisheries. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/market-trends-eco-certification-manitoba-fisheries.pdf

Chicago

Kroft, Emily, Erika Luna, and Sara Elder. Market Trends and Potential Benefits of Eco-Certification to Inform Manitoba Commercial Fisheries. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/market-trends-eco-certification-manitoba-fisheries.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kroft |first1=Emily |last2=Luna |first2=Erika |last3=Elder |first3=Sara |title=Market Trends and Potential Benefits of Eco-Certification to Inform Manitoba Commercial Fisheries |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/market-trends-eco-certification-manitoba-fisheries.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kroft2025market, author = {Kroft, Emily and Luna, Erika and Elder, Sara}, title = {{Market Trends and Potential Benefits of Eco-Certification to Inform Manitoba Commercial Fisheries}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/market-trends-eco-certification-manitoba-fisheries.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }