Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife, Scotland has won the MSC UK Foodservice Champion of the Year Award at the MSC annual awards ceremony. 

The fish and chip shop, which became the world’s first MSC certified chippy in 2009, was honoured for being a trailblazer in the UK with many restaurants going on to follow in their footsteps. They celebrated 12 years of serving sustainable seafood after getting recertified in March this year.

The MSC UK annual awards, now in their 8th  year, were streamed for a  second year  running from the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth  on October 7th 2021.  

Alison Smith, from Anstruther Fish Bar, said: “We are so thrilled to be named as MSC Foodservice Champion for 2021 at the MSC UK Awards. Anstruther Fish Bar was the first-ever MSC certified fish and chip shop in the UK and we have now been certified for 12 years. It’s a real honour to be recognised for our ongoing commitment to ensuring fish and chips for future generations. We will continue to put sustainability at the heart of our business.”

Loren Hiller, MSC UK & Ireland Commercial Manager, added: “Congratulations to Anstruther Fish Bar for this very well-deserved award. MSC certified fish and chip shops play a vital role in educating their customers and in ensuring every Fish Friday is a sustainable one. Anstruther are fantastic representatives, not just for the industry, but consumers too.  By using the blue MSC ecolabel on their menu, they are not only helping customers identify sustainable fish and seafood, but also recognising and rewarding efforts made by fishermen to ensure our oceans remain healthy. Congratulations!”

Other winners included Direct Seafoods which was awarded Fresh Fish Foodservice Supplier of the Year, and  Brakes and M&J which scooped Foodservice Wholesaler of the Year.  

The winners’ awards  have been designed  and  manufactured using 3D printing  by Cornish-based J Supplied 3D and made in collaboration with  Fishy Filaments,  which recycles fishing nets from  the MSC certified hake fishery in Cornwall  into engineering grade nylon filament. 

MSC UK ambassador, acclaimed restaurateur, chef and author Mitch Tonks was  on the expert judging panel along with CJ Jackson, chief executive of Billingsgate Seafood School; Marcus Coleman, chief executive of  Seafish ; and  Dr Eleanor Adamson, Fisheries Programme Manager  at the Fishmongers’ Company. 

The  full list of Award  winners  for 2021  is as follows: 

 MSC UK Fish Counter of the Year   – Waitrose & Partners  

 MSC UK Fisher of the Year  – Tom Russell, Poole Harbour clam and cockle fishery  

 MSC UK Foodservice Champion of the Year   – Anstruther Fish Bar  

 MSC UK Foodservice Wholesaler of the Year  - Brakes and M&J  

 MSC UK Fresh Fish Foodservice Supplier of the Year  - Direct Seafoods  

 MSC UK Frozen Brand of the Year  – Birds Eye  

MSC UK Marketing Champion of the Year  – Sainsbury’s  

MSC UK Mid-size Store Retailer of the Year  – Lidl  

MSC UK Newcomer of the Year  – Ella’s Kitchen  

MSC UK Ocean Hero  – Cornish Hake  

MSC UK Pet Food Brand of the Year – Woofs  

MSC UK Product of the Year – Waitrose No1 Yellowfin Tuna  

MSC UK Retail Supplier of the Year  – New England Seafood International  

MSC UK Social Media Hero of the Year – Co-op  

MSC UK Supermarket of the Year  – Tesco   

*Guest Award Category*  ASC UK Retailer of the Year  - Lidl