Washington, D.C. – Oysters harvested in Texas and Louisiana by Prestige Oysters have entered full assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries standard. The assessment will involve a rigorous independent, third party process by accredited certification body, MRAG Americas. The assessment will score the fishery on three core principles: health of the target stock; impacts on marine environment; and fishery management.
The fishery is the first oyster fishery in the United States to enter MSC assessment. If certification is granted, it would be the only oyster fishery certified in all of the Americas. The certification decision for Texas and Louisiana oysters is expected to be made in the fall.
Raz Hailil of Prestige Oysters said, “At a time more than ever, customers want to know how their seafood is harvested. The MSC provides customers with comfort and assurance that the fishery is consistently monitored and is operating sustainably. Prestige Oysters is ready to put our fishery up against the rigorous standards of MSC. For over two decades our company has committed to investing and building oyster reefs creating our wild oyster fishery. At Prestige Oysters, we’re extremely proud to be the first oyster fishery to enter MSC full assessment in the United States. I'm confident in our fishery’s abilities to meet certification. MSC certification is important not only to us but also our supply chain to ensure the highest standards are met.”
The American cupped oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is native to the Texas and Louisiana waters. The oysters are harvest by boat dredges on private leases. Private leases may contain oyster reefs that are either natural or constructed from deposition of cultch (oyster shell, limestone, concrete, etc.) placed on soft bottom in suitable depths for oyster growth. Without additional cultch or natural growth of oysters that provides dead shell, the reefs would disappear over time, leaving little impact on the marine environment.
“Oysters are an important commercial species as well as play a significant role in the marine ecosystem. If the fishery achieves certification, it will be validation of the fishery’s hard work to harvest oysters sustainably,” said Brian Perkins, Regional Director, Americas, MSC.
The MSC standard was established in 1997 and is the only wild caught seafood standard and ecolabelling program to meet United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) guidelines as well as meet Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) benchmarking criteria. The standards used to evaluate fisheries have been developed in deliberation with scientists, industry, and conservation groups, and reflect the most up-to-date fisheries science and management practices.
The MSC fishery standards are based on three core principles that every fishery must meet:
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Sustainable fish stocks: Fishing activity must be at a level which ensures it can continue indefinitely.
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Minimizing environmental impact: Fishing operations must be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function, and diversity of the ecosystem.
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Effective Management: The fishery must comply with relevant laws and have a management system that is responsive to changing circumstances.
The MSC assessment process is open for public input. Stakeholders are encouraged to take part in the assessment process. Learn more here.
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