Blackwater native oyster
Last Updated: 23rd February 2010
Number of fisheries: 1
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Species
Native oyster (European flat oyster) (Ostrea edulis)
MSC assessment status
The certification body Moody Marine Ltd., has announced its intention to use the MSC’s default Assessment Tree and to use the RBF in place of the default Assessment Tree to evaluate PIs 1.1.1 (stock status), 2.1.1 (retained species), 2.2.1 (bycatch (discarded) species), 2.4.1 (habitats) and 2.5.1 (ecosystems) in the scoring of the Blackwater native oyster fishery against the MSC Principles and Criteria.
The default Assessment Tree is defined in the MSC Fisheries Assessment Methodology (FAM), available for download here. Information on the Risk Based Framework is available here.
Any persons wishing to comment on this proposed use of the Default Assessment Tree and RBF are invited to contact Jason Combes by 5pm GMT, 17th March 2010.
The certification body, Moody Marine Ltd., has also announced that the Blackwater native oyster fishery is now entering the information gathering phase of the assessment. The primary objective of this stage is to collect information on the fishery and in particular to speak to representatives of the fishery, fishery management bodies and other stakeholders of the fishery. Meetings will be carried out over the period of the 17th and 18th March 2010 in or near West Mersea, Essex, UK.
Any stakeholder with information on this fishery that should be considered in the assessment, or who wishes to meet with Moody Marine should contact Jason Combes, no later than 15th March 2010.
The certification body, Moody Marine Ltd., has put forward an amended fishery assessment team that will be responsible for assessing the Blackwater native oyster fishery against the MSC Standard.
Any stakeholder wishing to provide comments on the suitability or otherwise of any of the nominees is invited to contact Jason Combes no later than 5pm GMT, 5th March 2010.
The Blackwater native oyster fishery is supported by the WWF and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF).
Fishery location
The fishery occurs within the Blackwater River, Essex, in the Greater Thames Estuary, United Kingdom.
Fishing method
Dredge and hand collection
Fishery management
The Blackwater native oyster fishery operates under a variety of UK and EC regulations, including the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, Local Sea Fisheries Committees Bye-laws, and The Registration of Fish Farming and Shellfish Farming Businesses Order 1985. Additionally, the fishery is subject to a number of hygiene regulations, including EC Directive 95/70/EC to prevent the spread of diseases implemented through the Fish Health Regulations 1997 (SI 1997 No. 1881) and the Shellfish Hygiene Directive (EC Directive 91/492/EEC) implemented through Food Safety (Fishery Products and Live Shellfish) Hygiene Regulations 1998. A closed season is also in effect from 14th May to 4th August.
The Tollesbury and Mersea Native Oyster Company has a Several Order lease from the Crown Estate, granted in 1999 for a period of 20 years. The Blackwater Creeks, operated by members of the Blackwater Oystermen’s Association, are privately owned or leased. Outside these areas, control occurs under the Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee, operating bye-laws that regulate the minimum ring size (7cm) and restrict the size of dredge to 4 metres in any public fishery within the district. The upper Blackwater is under the jurisdiction of Maldon District Council, and the lower Blackwater by the Crown Estate, both of which lease grounds.
Annual landings are recorded and submitted to Cefas and the Marine and Fisheries Agency. Daily fishing effort and landings are also recorded.
Commercial market
The current market is predominantly for London restaurants and the oysters may also be exported to Europe and Asia.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is expected to take 11 months and is scheduled for completion in or around June 2010. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery is the 1st of November 2009.
The MSC ecolabel can only be applied to product from certified fisheries. The MSC program does allow, in certain circumstances and within strict traceability requirements, the MSC ecolabel to be applied following certification to product caught before the actual date of certification. The target eligibility date therefore represents the date from which products may become eligible to carry the MSC ecolabel, however they cannot be sold until and if the fishery is certified. The actual eligibility date will be determined if the fishery is certified to the MSC standard.
To find out more about when fish from this fishery may be sold with the MSC ecolabel, please follow this link (http://www.msc.org/get-certified/supply-chain/eligibility-dates).
Tonnage of the fishery
The tonnage (2008) for the Blackwater native oyster fishery is 60 MT.
