Industry Partnership Obtains Turbot MSC Sustainability Certification
Will Lead to Greater Market Access and Benefits for Canada’s Atlantic and Arctic Fisheries
In early December, four Canadian industry associations, together with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), announced that products from the Canadian Greenland halibut (turbot) fishery in fishing areas 0AB2J3KLMNO can now bear the MSC label that identifies sustainable, well-managed fisheries from across the world.
“Obtaining this MSC certification is a testament to the cooperation and collaborat...
Consumer Trust in MSC Certification Hanging in the Balance
Photo by David Greening
A new poll commissioned by members of the Make Stewardship Count coalition indicates that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) could face a significant erosion of consumer confidence as a result of the certification body’s inattention to a number of critical issues, including the bycatch of endangered and threatened species, the deliberate encirclement of dolphins, shark finning and habitat destruction.
YouGov Deutschland GmbH polled 5,574 people in France, ...
MSC Certificate Suspended for Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Snow Crab Fishery
The MSC certificate for the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (SGOSL) snow crab trap fishery in Canada has been suspended today by certifier SAI Global (SAIG).
In an expedited audit the certifier concluded that based on new information including the Incident Report on 2017 right whale mortalities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the fishery no longer meets the MSC Fishery Standard related to Endangered, Threatened and Protected species.
As a result of the MSC certificate suspension, when the ...
On the Waterfront – December 2017
Canada’s Largest Commercial Marine Event a Near Sell-Out
With exhibit booth space nearly sold out, excitement is mounting for the next edition of Fish Canada Workboat Canada, returning to the Moncton Coliseum Complex on January 26-27, 2018.
This biennial event is Canada’s largest commercial marine trade show. It welcomes those who make their living on, in, and around the water, along with those who provide the related products and services to keep Atlantic Canada’s marine-based ...
On the Waterfront – July 2017
Rebranded Seafood Association in Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance (NSSA) has succeeded the Nova Scotia Fish Packers Association, to advocate for and strengthen the voice of the province’s small and medium-sized onshore seafood companies.
The Fish Packers Association represented processors for more than 40 years. The Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance will build on that legacy, and reflect the scope and diversity of modern onshore fisheries operations. The new organization was ...
Canada’s First Redfish Fishery Achieves MSC Certification
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council (GEAC) today announced Canada’s first redfish fishery to meet the globally recognized MSC Fishery Standard.
With this achievement, Acadian redfish (Sebastes fasciatus), also known as Atlantic redfish or ocean perch, caught in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Division 3LN, can now be sold as MSC certified by companies with MSC Chain of Custody certificates.
Straddling Canadian and ...
Northern Cod Stock Growth Continuing: Report
Reasons Cited Include Low Fishing Levels, More Capelin
Amid all the worry and fighting surrounding the province’s declining shellfish fisheries over the past couple of years, the Northern cod stock has been quietly emerging from near annihilation and reclaiming its traditional ocean grounds and annual migration routes.
And while those with a stake in the fishing industry search for a way forward in a world with less crab and shrimp to share, some have been turning their gaze toward the ...
Canadian Herring Gillnet Fishery First in the World to Achieve MSC Certification
The Gulf Nova Scotia Herring Federation and its member associations have achieved the globally-recognized Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable fishing.
Fall herring from the fishery in Canada’s southern Gulf of St. Lawrence can now be sold with the blue MSC ecolabel indicating it comes from a sustainable, well-managed source. This is the first ever gillnet herring fishery to achieve MSC certification.
‘’We are delighted to see this important fishery ...
Herring Opening Delayed: MSC Certification Process Underway
A concern over small fish led to the cancellation of the herring fishery in May in the 4X quota area.
While fish 18 centimetres in length can be legally caught, the purse seine fleets agreed to forgo the fishery in May. This included areas east of Baccaro and in waters off Halifax.
Donna Larkin, who heads the South West Seiner group out of Pubnico, said a number of seiners would be setting out in the latter part of the month.
This area has a 1,500-tonne quota, but when the herring are ...
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Inshore Lobster Fishery Achieves MSC Certification
The Bay of Fundy, Scotian Shelf and Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence lobster trap fishery (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) has achieved certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard.
Following an independent assessment conducted by SAI Global, lobsters sourced from this fishery are now eligible to bear the blue MSC ecolabel which demonstrates they come from a well-managed, environmentally sustainable source.
This fishery joins an elite group of 259 MSC certified fisheries ...