4 december 2025
The Health Council of the Netherlands, an independent advisory body to the government and parliament, has published new Dietary Guidelines for protein sources such as legumes, nuts, dairy, fish, meat, eggs and plant-based alternatives. A notable and innovative addition to the advice is its explicit focus on sustainable fish, as well as the need for widespread use of leading sustainability labels and the VISwijzer.
The Health Council recommends eating 100 grams of sustainable fish per week, preferably fatty fish species. The committee explicitly highlights the importance of sustainability because of the environmental impact of fisheries and aquaculture. According to the committee, consumers can best identify sustainable fish by looking for the MSC label (for wild-caught fish), the ASC label (for farmed fish) and the ratings in the VISwijzer.
Environmental impact
According to the Health Council, a significant proportion of fish consumption has a substantial environmental impact. This applies to both fisheries (wild-caught fish) and aquaculture (farmed fish). In fisheries, the main concerns include overfishing, discarding unwanted bycatch and damage to ecosystems. The fishing method and location are key factors. Bottom trawling, for example, has by far the greatest impact.
In aquaculture, environmental concerns include pollution of surface waters by faeces, pathogens, veterinary medicines and antibiotics; damage to or loss of ecosystems; the weakening of wild fish populations due to escaped farmed fish; and the environmental impact of fish feed, such as the use of wild-caught fish and soy.
Urgent: The need for widespread use of leading sustainability labels and the VISwijzer
The Health Council points out that determining whether a fish product is sustainable can be complex. The environmental impact varies depending on the species, fishing or farming method and location. Independent tools are therefore essential for consumers and buyers who want to make sustainable choices.
Although the committee recognises that MSC, ASC and the VISwijzer fulfil this role, these tools are not yet applied across the entire range of fish products. The committee therefore calls for these tools to be widely available throughout the entire fish supply chain, supported by legislation where necessary.
Good Fish: ‘An important boost for sustainable fish’
Good Fish welcomes the advice, which fully supports its mission to create a market in which sustainable fish is the norm. “We are not promoting eating more or less fish,” says Good Fish, “but we do believe that when people choose to eat fish, they should choose options with as little negative impact on the marine environment as possible.” According to Good Fish, sustainable fisheries also ensure that fish remains available and affordable in the long term, including for future generations.
Supporting businesses throughout the supply chain
Good Fish currently advises several partners on making their purchasing policies more sustainable, including retail partner Udea and the three major catering companies Albron, Vermaat and Sodexo. Good Fish also works with FishPartners and the Dutch Association of Fishmongers (VNV) to provide fishmongers with free shelf labels featuring VISwijzer information.
The Health Council’s new advice reinforces Good Fish’s work: “We are proud and pleased that the Health Council supports our efforts to promote transparency and sustainability throughout the fish supply chain.”
Health Council advice: Dietary Guidelines for Protein Sources and Dietary Patterns 2025