Saving Seafood

Whale activists file objection to Gulf of Maine lobster fishery certification

July 1, 2022 — Conservation groups formally objected to a recent recommendation by MRAG Americas that the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery be recertified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard.

The Gulf of Maine lobster fishery, which covers U.S. landings of the North American lobster was first certified to the MSC standard in 2016, and its current certificate expires on June 30. MRAG Americas has recommended that the certification continue, but groups including Animal Welfare Institute, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources Defense Council claim the fishery no longer meets the standards due to complications related to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

“If the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery was certified as sustainable at this time, consumers of MSC-certified lobster could be unknowingly hastening the demise of one of our most emblematic and endangered species,” said Francine Kershaw, senior scientist with NRDC, in a prepared statement. “There could not be a more blatant way to further erode consumer confidence in MSC as a certifying body.”

At the heart of the issue is the reoccurring fight over the lobster industry’s impact on right whales – something the MSC has been involved with once before. In August 2020, the MSC suspended the certification of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery after a federal court found it was in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The suspension has since been lifted, and the lobster industry is also under new standards implemented by NOAA Fisheries to comply with Endangered Species Act. Despite the new rules, the NGOs claim that the fishery is still relying on insufficient protection measures and that it is still posing a threat to right whales.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NGOs object to MSC recertification for Gulf of Maine lobster

June 28, 2022 — Conservation groups have formally objected to a recent recommendation by MRAG Americas that the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery be recertified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard.

The Gulf of Maine lobster fishery, which covers U.S. landings of the North American lobster (Homarus americanus) was first certified to the MSC standard in 2016, and its current certificate expires on 30 June, 2022. MRAG Americas has recommended that the certification continue, but groups including Animal Welfare Institute, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources Defense Council claim the fishery no longer meets the standards due to complications related to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

MSC’s new fisheries standard unanimously approved by trustees

June 24, 2022 — After four years of input from over 1,000 stakeholders, the Marine Stewardship Council’s fisheries standard review process has finally concluded.

The MSC announced on 24 June its board of trustees unanimously approved the new version of the fisheries standard, which it has hailed as a “major achievement.” The new standard includes a new approach to how the MSC will manage its endangered, threatened, or protected (ETP) species, standards on shark-finning, new standards on how fisheries manage unwanted catch, and more.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Array of NGOs claim proposed MSC standards would “tarnish” its reputation

June 20, 2022 — A cadre of international NGOs focused on environmental conservation have written a letter to the Marine Stewardship Council claiming its proposed new standards – the product of MSC’s fisheries standard review begun in 2018 – would “tarnish” its reputation.

The letter was sent by the WWF, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Birdlife Marine Programme, The Nature Conservancy, Ecology Action Centre, Earthworm Foundation, IPNLF, and the Sharkproject. According to the NGOs, the latest fisheries standard proposed by the MSC has “significant weaknesses.”

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

US consumers increasingly putting health and environment first

June 13, 2022 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

New figures released today suggest that US consumers are increasingly supporting the health of the ocean when deciding which fish and krill oil supplements to buy, according to new data shared by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the international non-profit responsible for the world’s most widely used sustainable seafood ecolabel.

Figures highlighted by the MSC show that the number of fish oil supplements carrying the MSC blue fish label has grown by 44% in the US during the last five years, from 132 to 191. In the last year alone, consumers bought more than 8.5 million bottles and packets of MSC-certified fish oil supplements in the US. For products to carry the MSC blue fish label, every company in the supply chain must have a valid MSC Chain of Custody certificate and each product must be reviewed and approved

According to GOED, the Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3s, a trade group that includes companies all along the supplement channel, from fisheries to finished products, the 2021 US EPA and DHA omega-3 supplement market reached $1.35 billion in value. GOED also projects the US omega-3 supplement market to grow by 3.8% by 2023[1]. Many EPA and DHA omega-3 fisheries are MSC-certified, are pursuing MSC certification, or are covered by specialized national or regional monitoring bodies.

Krill continues to be the most popular species used in MSC-certified sustainable omega 3 supplements, such as Epion Brands’ Kori Pure Antarctic Krill Oil offering MSC certified krill oil supplements. Other newly launched supplements are helping to diversify the range of sustainable products on the market. Examples include Natural Force Pure Omega-3 liquid, which sources its fish oil from the MSC-certified Menhaden fishery[2], and Garden of Life’s Dr Formulated Prenatal Multi and DHA, the first MSC-certified supplement for pregnant women. Pet owners can also opt for MSC-certified fish oils for pets, including Dr Mercola’s Krill oil for cats and dogs, Mud Bay Salmon and Pollock Oil and Vital Pet Life Salmon oil.

Fish oil can be obtained from two sources: 1) small pelagics — small fish such as herring, sardine, and menhaden[3] — can be processed into fish oil, and 2) trimmings or by-products of a species caught for human consumption, such as the liver, heads, and fins of pollock, cod or salmon. The latter process helps reduce waste by ensuring the whole fish is used.

Trimmings from MSC-certified salmon fisheries in Alaska, for instance, are used to produce Steward Supplements and Vital Choice salmon fish oils. While the skin of MSC-certified North Atlantic cod is used to make Dr Mercola’s Marine Collagen pills.

The demand for fish oils, set to grow by 6% by 2026, will increase pressure on fish stocks, especially small pelagic fish stocks, 46% of which are already currently overfished[4]. Ensuring these stocks are managed sustainably is imperative. The growth in the number of consumers choosing fish oil produced from  sustainable fisheries[5] is helping to turn the tide, in-part, by driving a rapid growth in the number of MSC-certified small pelagic and reduction fisheries[6]. In 2022, landings from small pelagic species engaged in the MSC program totalled over 4.2 million tons, representing around 15% of small pelagic landings worldwide, up from 8% of small pelagic landings in 2016.

“Small pelagic fisheries, those that are often used to produce fish oils, play a critical role in the marine ecosystem,” said Erika Feller, regional director, Americas at the Marine Stewardship Council. “Small pelagic species, such as krill, sardine and menhaden are at the base of marine food chains because they are also food for many other marine species. Overfishing these species could have a significant negative impact on delicate marine ecosystems, which is why it’s so important for consumers to choose sustainable fish oil products produced from MSC-certified fisheries. MSC certified fisheries take an extremely cautious approach in setting catch limits for low trophic species — or species low in the marine food chain that play a key role in the ecosystem such as small pelagics — harvesting fish at a more conservative rate compared to other species. This ensures stocks remain abundant and helps to protect seafood supplies and the ocean ecosystem.”

Chris Gearheart, director of growth and engagement at GOED, said “GOED is proud of our member companies’ commitment to the sustainable use of marine resources and public health. MSC certification is an excellent path for companies who source omega-3s from the ocean and want to improve fisheries management.”

The increasing demand for fish oil for human consumption has had a dramatic impact on the growth of MSC-certified fish oil products globally. In 2008, only four MSC-labelled fish oil supplements were available worldwide. This has grown to more than 500 MSC labelled products in 2021. Globally more than 20.5 million bottles or packets of MSC-certified sustainably sourced fish oils were bought by consumers — up by 75% or nearly 12 million bottles and packets just three years ago.

“We can all can contribute to a healthier planet by buying fish oil products with the MSC blue fish label, and now is an important time as ever to make choosing more sustainable options even easier for consumers,” continued Feller.

 

US Atlantic scup bottom-trawl fishery achieves MSC certification

May 18, 2022 — The U.S. Atlantic scup bottom-trawl fishery has achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, verifying sustainable fishing practices are being used in the fishery. The certificate will be jointly held by commercial fishing operations of Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based Lund’s Fisheries and North Kingstown, Rhode Island, U.S.A.-based Seafreeze.

Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) is a brown and silver food fish found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, primarily between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A., and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, U.S.A.. The fish is also known as porgy, maiden, fairmaid, and ironsides. Unlike many fish populations, scup is considered an “underutilized species.” Scup populations have been steadily increasing along the U.S. East Coast since the mid-1990s, MSC said.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Atlantic Scup Fishery Achieves MSC Certification

May 11, 2022 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that the Atlantic Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) bottom trawl fishery has achieved MSC certification for sustainable fishing practices. The MSC Fisheries Standard is a globally recognized standard used to assess if a fishery is well-managed, and reflects the most up-to-date understanding of internationally accepted fisheries science and management. The MSC certificate for scup is jointly held by commercial fishing operations Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. and Seafreeze, Ltd.

The Atlantic scup certification follows a rigorous twelve-month review carried out by a third-party assessment body, SCS Global Services. The MSC Fisheries Standard has three core principles that every certified fishery must meet including 1) sustainable fish stocks, 2) minimizing environmental impact, and 3) effective fisheries management.  As well as preserving fish stocks and the marine environment,  the MSC certification process ensures that scup products can be traced to a sustainable source through required recordkeeping.

Eric Critchlow, US Director for the MSC, said: “The certification of the scup fishery will help safeguard livelihoods, seafood supplies, and healthy oceans for future generations. Being a new whitefish fishery to gain MSC certification is a notable achievement and we welcome Lund’s and Seafreeze’s commitment to fisheries sustainability.”

Lund’s Fisheries principals own and operate 20 fishing vessels delivering a variety of seafood to its freezing and processing facility year-round. Other, independent vessels, from North Carolina through Maine, land scup at the company’s Cape May, NJ plant, as well.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Atlantic scup from Lund’s Fisheries becomes the fourth MSC-certified product offered by the family-owned New Jersey company

May 10, 2022 — The following was released by Lund’s Fisheries:

Lund’s Fisheries, Inc., operating in Cape May, New Jersey since 1954, is pleased to announce that the company’s Atlantic scup fishery has been certified as sustainable according to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards. MSC certification is one of the most rigorous and sought-after sustainability certifications in the world, and our scup trawl fishery now meets those high standards.

Scup is Lund’s fourth MSC-certified fishery, following the company’s certifications for Atlantic sea scallops, Loligo squid, and Illex squid. Lund’s has been a seafood industry leader on the Atlantic coast in certifying its fisheries as sustainable for U.S. and international markets and will continue to look for new opportunities to add products to the MSC certification process.

The company owns and operates 20 fishing vessels delivering seafood to its freezing and processing facility year-round. Other independent vessels, from North Carolina through Maine, land scup at the company’s plant, utilizing its 500 metric ton daily freezing capacity.

“Lund’s Fisheries is proud of our long-standing commitment to harvesting and processing some of the most sustainable seafood in the world, and the MSC certification of our scup fishery is just the latest example of that commitment,” said Wayne Reichle, President of Lund’s Fisheries. “In partnership with the MSC, consumers can continue to trust that our products meet the highest standards of responsible sourcing. This new certification will help us to present another locally harvested, sustainable fish to the public that they may not have heard of, seen, or eaten before.”

The certification comes after a year-long, comprehensive evaluation by independent third-party assessor SCS Global Services. The assessment ensures that the Atlantic scup trawl fishery meets the three MSC Principles, focusing on the status of the scup resource and the harvest strategy in place; the fisheries ecosystem impacts, including efforts to avoid interactions with endangered and protected species; and the governance and management system employed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. MSC certification also ensures that Atlantic scup products can be traced back to where they were caught through required recordkeeping, from harvest to product sale.

The fishery’s strengths include a well-defined and proven governance system of national and state laws; a suite of strategic policy frameworks that are supportive of the MSC’s Principles; effective leadership within federal and state management and scientific organizations; a transparent and engaging consultation and decision-making process; and a proven federal-state record of effective collaboration and cooperation at all levels.

Atlantic scup, which is mainly fished in New England and Mid-Atlantic waters, is considered to be an “underutilized” species, meaning that the population is healthy, and that fishing levels are well below the sustainable limits set for the fishery.

“Demand for sustainable U.S. seafood is only growing, and we are pleased to receive this certification from the MSC, which has become the international leader in seafood sustainability,” said Jeff Kaelin, Lund’s Director of Sustainability and Government Relations.  “This certification reflects the hard work done by our fishermen and our production team at our Cape May plant to successfully sell sustainably harvested products to our customers. It also represents tremendous support from our management partners at the Council and Commission in helping us to accumulate the technical information used in this process over the past year.”

US Atlantic Scup Fishery Achieves MSC Certification

May 10, 2022 — International non-profit organization the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced on Monday that the Atlantic Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) bottom trawl fishery has achieved MSC certification for sustainable fishing practices. The MSC certificate for scup is jointly held by commercial fishing operations Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. and Seafreeze, Ltd.

“The certification of the scup fishery will help safeguard livelihoods, seafood supplies and healthy oceans for future generations,” said Eric Critchlow, U.S. Director for the MSC. “Being a new whitefish fishery to gain MSC certification is a notable achievement and we welcome Lund’s and Seafreeze’s commitment to fisheries sustainability.”

Lund’s Fisheries owns and operates 20 fishing vessels that deliver a variety of seafood to their freezing and processing facilities. In addition, independent vessels land scup at their Cape May, New Jersey, plant. Meanwhile, Seafreeze owns and operates three vessels out of their facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and their affiliated company Seafreeze Shoreside handles an additional 10-12 independent vessels that deliver scup.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Russian salmon expert worried international sanctions could threaten ongoing sustainability efforts

April 5, 2022 — Natasha Novikova is the founder of ForSea Solutions, a sustainability and technical consultancy for the seafood industry based in the U.S. state of Oregon that was formed in 2016 to provide technical guidance to U.S. and Russian fisheries working to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification and implement fishery improvement projects (FIPs). It has provided technical guidance and leadership support to more than 30 Russian salmon and pollock fishing companies, helping them to achieve MSC certification, and an additional five that are currently in various stages of advancing toward MSC levels of sustainability. Novikova has also worked to connect Russian salmon firms with High Liner Foods, The Fishin’ Company, and Gorton’s.

SeafoodSource: What are the salmon companies you’ve worked with in Russia going through right now, following the international sanctions that have been placed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine?

Novikova: Most of my clients were in shock and disbelief for the first week to 10 days due to this completely new reality for their potential markets. But now they are generally optimistic that the sanctions will pass and business will be back to normal. I think that for them, it’s just the way they’re dealing with the situation. I’m pretty certain that there’s a huge portion of the Russian population, and the Russian business community as well, who just want stability.

Russia’s salmon season starts in June or July [depending on the region]. The fishermen are actively planning for the fishing season. Right now, they’re still relying on the notion that this will pass and there will be a new opportunity, whatever emerges. I’m quite sure most of the companies are having conversations with buyers, especially in countries that haven’t issued sanctions, and trying to line up markets for the upcoming season. Russians are really good about adapting and figuring out ways to survive. They have a mindset of perseverance. Russian people have dealt with many other tragedies and catastrophes in their lives.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource