The species caught and certified under the MSC standard is the Southern king crab (Lithodes Santolla) from the central Patagonian stock in the Argentine Sea, not only captured in National waters, but also in those of Santa Cruz and Chubut provinces. Its fishing season takes place from January to May, exporting the product mainly to markets such as the United States, China, and Japan.
The certifying entity, OIA S.A., evaluated the target species’ population status, the environmental impact, and the management system of the fishery, which represents the 3 principles of the MSC standard.
The group made up of Bentonicos de Argentina S.A, Crustáceos del Sur S.A and Centomar S.A. celebrate having successfully achieved the objective and establishing themselves as the fourth Argentine fishery to achieve the MSC certification, which demonstrates that the national management system and fisheries research are focused on the sustainable extraction of the resources.
During the last years, since the pre-assessment began in 2018, extensive teamwork has been carried out in collaboration with the different stakeholders involved and interested in improving the practices of the fishery day by day in order to preserve its resource, protecting the Argentine Sea while enjoying the benefits that it offers.
“It is added to the MSC portfolio as a fishery of great value and of great commercial interest in global markets.
Welcome to the group of fisheries that meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability,”
comments Cristian Vallejos, director of the Latin America program of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Being certified as sustainable under the MSC Standard, the fishery is very clear about its commitment to continue caring for its livelihood and the great resource that is the Southern King Crab, and thus continue to enjoy it for many more years.
