German fishery catching cod from the eastern Baltic Sea applies for MSC ecolabel for sustainable fishing
11 August 2010
The producer „Küstenfischer Nord eG Heiligenhafen“ has begun their bid to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for their cod fishing operations in the eastern Baltic Sea. The fishery will now undergo an independent assessment to show if they meet the MSC standard for sustainable fishing. The assessment process will be led by Food Certification International (FCI) and is estimated to take around 14 months. If successful, the fishery will be eligible to show the blue MSC ecolabel on its cod catch from the eastern Baltic Sea. “Küstenfischer Nord eG“ is the fifth German fishery to enter the MSC programme, with one already certified and four currently in assessment.
FCI will gather an expert team of scientists to assess the fishery against the 31 indicators of the MSC standard covering the stock situation in the eastern Baltic Sea, the impacts of the fishery on the marine ecosystem, and the management system of the fishery.
Ten vessels of “Küstenfischer Nord eG“ operating with pelagic and bottom trawls have applied for MSC assessment. For 2010, their total annual catch quota amounts to 1,200 tonnes of cod (Gadus morhua). The cod from this fishery is sold mainly to France (74 percent) and Holland (25 percent), only one percent is sold fresh from Heiligenhafen to German customers.
What the fishery says
„We are rising to the challenge of MSC certification,“ says Jörn Paustian, Project Manager at Küstenfischer Nord eG. “By means of the certificate we want to show that we use the fishing resource in a responsible manner and that we are ready to confirm this through an independent auditor. We are certain that we have made the right decision in applying for assessment as the MSC label has a high level of acceptance and recognition.”
What the MSC says
Marnie Bammert, Country Manager at MSC, adds: “The MSC standard is a credible, robust, science based programme. The assessment process is transparent and is open to any stakeholder with an interest in this fishery. We are pleased to see Küstenfischer Nord eG’s determination and wish them the best of luck. MSC certified seafood is highly sought after in Germany and it would be great to see more MSC-labelled fresh fish from a domestic fishery on the market.”
The fishery is managed by the European Union. A multi-year management plan was implemented in 2007. The main aim of the plan is to rebuild the cod stock of the eastern Baltic Sea. The management plan was well received by the International Council for the Exploration of the sea (ICES) and serves as the basis for quota recommendations. Further management tools include regulations on mesh sizes, selective measures on nets as well as establishing protected spawning areas and times during summer.
About „Küstenfischer Nord eG Heiligenhafen“
The „Küstenfischer Nord eG Heiligenhafen“ is a fishing operation with a long tradition. Until 2009 the fishery operated under the name „Fischverwertung Heiligenhafen-Neustadt eG“. Its members, fishers along the German Baltic coast between Heiligenhafen and Neustadt, landed their catch and the cooperative marketed the fresh fish from the North and the Baltic Sea. In 2009, the cooperative’s name was switched to „Küstenfischer Nord eG Heiligenhafen“ to reflect changes in membership, which now reaches to Kappeln and Maasholm. Today, the cooperative consists of 40 member companies, that fish in the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat. The smaller vessels use mainly set gill-nets while the bigger vessels use trawls.
The unit that has applied for MSC certification comprises of ten vessels that catch cod on the eastern Baltic Sea, using pelagic and bottom trawls.
For more information
The regional office Berlin: berlin@msc.org or +49 (0) 30 8849 7008
