Meet the fishers

Meet the Patagonian scallop fishers

The Patagonian scallop fishery operates wholly within Argentina’s Economic Exclusive Zone, in waters between the Argentine border with Uruguay and Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina.

This deep-water fishery is harvested by four factory vessels. It is conducted in sandy areas with strong currents.

The fishery's MSC certification is held by Glaciar Pesquera SA, which is owned by an Argentine entrepreneur and Clearwater Seafoods of Canada. Glaciar Pesquera is one of the two companies authorised to fish scallops in this region. The companies have two factory vessels each, and they are limited to catching scallops greater than 55 mm in height.

"The Argentine scallop industry is committed to responsible fishing and we are actively engaged in providing ongoing support to the Argentine government's efforts to ensure continued health and sustainability of the scallop resource, MSC certification will legitimize and reward our efforts to be environmentally responsible."

Eduardo Gonzalez Lemmi
President, Glaciar Pesquera

"Sustainability has and will always be a lifelong commitment of our company. Our goal is to ensure our corporate philosophies are reflected in our products and in our fishing operations. The MSC eco-label demonstrates our commitment to the long-term sustainability of the species we harvest from the sea.  It also assures the increasingly eco-conscious consumer they are buying a product that is harvested in a sustainable and responsible manner and one that will be enjoyed by our children and their children for all the generations to come."

Colin MacDonald
Chief Executive Officer, Clearwater

The fishery was certified to the MSC standard in December 2006, the first scallop fishery in the world to achieve this rigorous environmental standard for well-managed and sustainable fisheries. Approximately 50 percent of the frozen-at-sea scallops are sold into European markets; an additional 40 percent are sold in the United States, with most of the remainder going to Canadian markets.

For further information, visit the Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership website.