Number of fisheries: 1
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Species
Scallop (Pecten novaezelandiae)
MSC assessment status
The certification body, Moody Marine Ltd., has announced a revised timeline for the New Zealand southern scallop fishery.
Please refer to the assessment downloads section for further information.
Fishery location
The fishery occurs in the coastal waters of the northern part of the South Island within Golden Bay, Tasman Bay and the Marlborough Sounds.
Fishing method
Dredge
Fishery management
The New Zealand southern scallop fishery is managed within the framework of the Fisheries Act 1996. A significant feature of the fishery’s management is strong co-management between the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries and the Challenger Scallop Enhancement Company, a company owned by quota owners in the fishery.
The fishery is managed under a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) allocated across commercial, recreational and customary fishing interests. The commercial fishing quota for the 2008/09 fishing year is 747 tonnes. In addition to being managed within New Zealand’s Quota Management System (QMS), the fishery is managed through a defined fishing season and rotational fishing practices with area closures implemented as needed.
The Southern scallop fishery has an enhancement programme by which spat collected from spat catching sites (within the fishery area) for reseeding within other areas of the fishery.
Commercial market
In recent years, much of the scallop catch has been exported to France as frozen product. A component of the catch is also consumed in the local domestic market as fresh product.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is scheduled for completion in or around May 2012. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery is the 1st of October 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).
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