News |
Swordfish longline fishery certified |
|
The Southeast US North Atlantic swordfish pelagic longline and buoy gear fishery has received Marine Stewardship Council certification after a rigorous, independent assessment by MRAG Americas.
The certification covers swordfish landed for Day Boat Seafood LLC, which is now eligible to bear the blue MSC ecolabel. The Unit of Certification combines pelagic longline and buoy gear types working with Day Boat Seafood LLC. All the swordfish landed - approximately 200t per year - is sold fresh in domestic markets. The fishery operates year round with some seasonal variation in an area off the Florida east coast. It is managed by the US Federal Government under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and in conformance with ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) management requirements. In addition, other US federal laws and regulations under the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) apply to the fishery, including endangered species. As part of the certification, nine conditions, or improvement actions are required that address issues raised during the process by the certification team, stakeholders, and peer review scientists. Progress in meeting the conditions is required and will be assessed during the annual surveillance audits. Read the complete story from World Fishing & Aquaculture
|
|||
|
|
||
HASTINGS: Time to improve the Endangered Species Act
May 18, 2012 - When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law in 1973 by President Nixon, he spoke about the importance of preserving “the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” I believe that goal is as important today as it was back then. However, after nearly 40 years, it’s time to take a fresh, honest look at the law and consider whether there are ways it could be improved to do a better job of protecting and recovering species.
