MSC moves Asia-Pacific regional headquarters

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is relocating its regional head quarters from Sydney, Australia to Tokyo, Japan.

Japan is the second largest seafood producer and consumer market in the world. Several Japanese fisheries are now engaged at some stage in the independent fisheries assessment process and leading Japanese retailers now carry close to 150 individual MSC certified and labelled seafood products. This demand and interest in sustainable seafood is anticipated to grow in Japan and Northern Asia more widely and consequently a Tokyo-based regional head quarters will more effectively and efficiently service our planned commercial and fisheries outreach activities in the region over the coming years.

Duncan Leadbitter, MSC's current Asia Pacific Regional Director, has stepped down and will be leaving the MSC on March 12. Mr Leadbitter established the Sydney office in 2003.

MSC also plans to open a small office in Hong Kong later this year to focus on the delivery of key components of its Traceability and Assurance in the Supply Chain (TASC) project in China and elsewhere in the region.