Surinam Airways (SLM) is the first airline in the Americas to display the MSC ecolabel for sustainable seafood on its menu. On June 1, 2013, the Surinamese airline will start serving MSC certified seabob shrimp from Surinam in business class on the mid-Atlantic route from Paramaribo to Amsterdam. By doing so, the airline is encouraging and rewarding the efforts of Surinamese fishermen to maintain a sustainable and well-managed fishery.
Sustainable seabob shrimp from Surinam
The Atlantic seabob from Surinam is the first tropical shrimp in the world to bear the blue MSC ecolabel for sustainable fisheries. To achieve MSC certification, the fishery addressed a variety of issues with regard to stock management, data collection and bycatch reduction. In resolving these challenges, the fishery, its partners and the Surinam government have implemented changes that will deliver environmental benefits and provide a model for other fisheries in the region to follow.
Stimulating sustainable fisheries in Surinam
“SLM is proud to be able to put MSC labeled products on the menu. This way, SLM contributes to the protection of nature and the stimulation of sustainable fisheries in Surinam,” Dorothy Lie A Kwie, inflight manager for SLM, points out. “For us, this means a commitment to the future.” The airline is committed to a sustainable policy and is also a member of the Suriname Conservation Foundation. This way, SLM wants to contribute to its “Think Green” philosophy.
To be able to offer MSC-labeled products on SLM flights, a crucial condition had to be met first: The MSC certification of SLM’s catering company Surair Catering Services (SCS). In 2012, SCS was the first catering company in South America to achieve MSC Chain of Custody certification. The company has proven its compliance with the rigorous traceability requirements of the MSC standard and is entitled to serve seafood dishes bearing the blue MSC ecolabel, which assures consumers that the product is fully traceable to a certified sustainable fishery. Thanks to this achievement, SCS was able to start serving sustainable MSC-labeled products to its clients in 2012.
Surinam shows leadership and commitment to seafood sustainability
“MSC congratulates Surinam Airways on being the first airline in the Americas region to display the MSC ecolabel on the menu,” said Kerry Coughlin, MSC Americas Regional Director. “With an MSC certified seabob shrimp fishery and now a national airline promotion, Surinam is demonstrating its leadership and commitment to seafood sustainability. We hope more airlines around the world will see the value of traceability certification and communicating their sustainability commitment to their passengers through use of the MSC label on menus.”
About Surinam Airways and Surair Catering Services
Surinam Airways is the national airline of Surinam and is the core company of the SLM group, that further consists of five other subsidiaries. These are Surair Catering Services, Surair Ground Services, Air Cargo Services Surair, METS NV Residence Inn Hotels. The SLM operates mainly in key destinations in the Caribbean region and the so-called Mid-Atlantic route. More information: http://www.slm.firm.sr/en/content/2/about-us/60/de-slm-group
Surair Catering Services is part of the SLM Group and provides all catering for Surinam Airways but also for all other airline companies that call in at the international airport Johan Adolf Pengel airport. It is an HACCP certified company meaning that food storage, preparation, packaging and everything else that takes place at this subsidiary of SLM is done in a safe manner. On a small scale SCS also supplies bread and pastry, an activity that demands expansion due to its success. In the Caribbean region SCS can proudly call itself one of the best in the Airline Catering Industry, rewarded by the Gold QSAI Award for the Americas of the Quality and Safety Alliance Inflight Services in 2011. For more information: http://www.slm.firm.sr/en/content/2/about-us/8/surair-catering-services
More Information
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SLM Group/Surair Catering Services: Louis Voigt, [email protected] / +597 (0) 853 2146