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Unbeknownst to most Americans, the Filet-O-Fish at Micky Ds has been certified "green" for some time now by the Marine Stewardship Council. For some reason, the company doesn't put the stamp of approval on their wrappers. That's about to change for all Filet-O-Fish in Europe:

Starting in October, the wrappers for McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and fish fingers (which are like fish sticks) that are sold in Europe will bear the blue seal of the Marine Stewardship Council.

The label signals that the whitefish used for the menu items came from only fisheries that have received the council's sustainability certification, which speaks to how the areas are managed and how the fish that comes from them are reared or caught.

In a nod to the demands of a market that has heavily scrutinized McDonald's sourcing and environmental impacts, the labeling practice will apply to McDonald's 7,000 restaurants in 39 European countries. It represents the largest commitment of its kind in Europe, according to the company and the Marine Stewardship Council.

Again, it's unclear why McDonald's won't publicize this in the U.S.:

In terms of sustainability, the whitefish McDonald's uses to make Filet-o-Fish in all its markets must meet the company's standards for responsible seafood sourcing, said Lisa McComb, McDonald's senior manager for global media relations.

In the United States, 100 percent of the whitefish used comes from MSC-certified fisheries, McComb said. Globally, more than 90 percent of the whitefish used by McDonald's can be sourced to fisheries certified by the council, and the balance of whitefish comes from fisheries that meet the company's seafood sourcing standards, which are comparable to MSC's, she said.

This push for greater visibility on sustainable fishing sources comes on the heals of a broader campaign of food sourcing and supply chain responsibility:

In March, McDonald's detailed plans to move to more sustainable meat, coffee and packaging in its Sustainable Land Management Commitment.

These steps forward are all good for the sustainability movement! Good job, Micky Ds!

Now -- if we can just Retire Ronald the Clown, we'll really be making progress!

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