Louisiana blue crab
Last Updated: 12 January 2012
Number of fisheries: 1
Species
Blue crab (callinectes sapidus)
MSC assessment status
The conformity assessment body, Scientific Certification Systems, has announced that the Public Comment Draft Report for the Louisiana blue crab fishery is now available for comment for a period of 30 days. Any stakeholder wishing to comment on the report is invited to contact Sabine Daume no later than 5pm GMT, 16 February 2012.
Stakeholders are advised that they are to provide objective evidence in support of any additional claims or any claimed errors of fact in their response to the Public Comment Draft Report. Any comments made by stakeholders shall be documented and forwarded by the certification body to its certification decision-making entity.
Please refer to the assessment downloads for further information.
Fishery location
The State Waters of Louisiana in FAO statistical area 31.
Fishing method
Traps
Fishery management
The fishery is managed by the state of Louisiana through its Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Division of Marine Fisheries in active consultation with an industry group, the Louisiana Blue Crab Task Force.
Commercial market
Produce is sold to the domestic market.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is expected for completion around February 2012. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery is the date of certification.
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).
