Saving Seafood

Northeast companies seek MSC certification for squid

April 12, 2018 — Two companies based in the Northeast U.S. have jointly entered the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process for the Atlantic loligo (longfin) squid fishery.

Lund’s Fisheries, in Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A., and the Town Dock in Point Judith, Rhode Island, U.S.A., have begun the multi-step certification process needed for the East Coast loligo. If successful, they would be the first squid fishery to receive MSC certification.

Both companies said they hope the certification will showcase the fishery’s commitment to sustainability.

“We know squid fits that mode, now it’s just going through the proper channels to prove it, and there’s no better way to do it than go through that MSC process,” said Patrick Maness, director of marketing for the Town Dock.

The Town Dock is currently the largest supplier of calamari in the United States, running a dedicated fleet of six boats and purchasing from 20 independently owned large boats in the area around Point Judith. In 2016, Rhode Island represented the largest harvester of loligo, landing 10,329 metric tons according to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Northeast squid fishery seeks MSC certification

April 6, 2018 — Last summer, two major Atlantic squid wholesalers — Lund’s Fisheries in Cape May, N.J., and the Town Dock in Point Judith, R.I. — jointly entered a process that could result in the East Coast inshore Atlantic loligo (longfin) squid fishery obtaining Marine Stewardship Council Certification as early as May 2018.

About 60 fisheries have been MSC certified in the United States. East Coast loligo would be the first squid fishery to receive MSC certification.

The loligo assessment, facilitated by independent certifier SCS Global Services, has been a year-long, multistep process, and the peer review stage is nearing fruition this spring.

“It can take anywhere from eight to 18 months, depending on the scope of assessment,” said Maggie Dewane, MSC’s U.S. communications manager. “Because of the pre-assessment process, which highlights any weaknesses within the fishery, which can then be addressed prior to entering assessment, most fisheries are able to achieve certification.”

Both companies hope an eventual MSC certification will help push Atlantic inshore loligo squid into new markets and meet the needs of customers that otherwise were previously out of reach.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

ISSF Releases Interactive “Status of the Stocks Tool”

April 5, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has developed a new data-visualization tool based on its long-running and widely followed Status of the Stocks report. The “Status of the Stocks Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna stock health indicators and filter by location, species and other key stock health and catch factors.

The tool, which requires no additional applications or access to use, offers fisheries managers, fishers, RFMOs, scientists, and other stakeholders a convenient and intuitive resource for visualizing the state of tuna stocks worldwide, covering 23 tuna stocks — including ones that have been or are overfished, as well as those at healthy levels. Offering the most current data available, it also pulls information from previous years of ISSF Status of the Stocks reports, which compile key stock health and catch data from the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).

“As part of our ongoing efforts to bring improved technology into understanding fisheries management, we developed this resource to offer a clearer picture of trends in global tuna stock health over time,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Not only does a data visualization tool such as this allow users a customized look at the tuna stocks they are most interested in, it also offers a meaningful understanding of the impact of changes in RFMO management on those tuna stocks over time.”

For example, the number of stocks well-managed in terms of fishing mortality has increased from 8 (35%) in 2012 to 15 (65%) in 2018, demonstrating the improvement of management measures put in place by the RFMOs. Improved management measures lead to stock rebuilding, as in the case of bluefin tuna stocks, where 100% of the catch came from overfished stocks in 2013, versus just 26.5% of the catch in 2018. The tool can also be used to monitor those stocks for which management has been effective and, therefore, resulted in maintained healthy levels of abundance over time (e.g., skipjack stocks).

The tool was developed by ISSF’s science and communications teams and was reviewed by the scientists on the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee.

Interactive Tool Design

The tool, built using Tableau technology, features two tabs — one for visualizing tuna stock health trends since 2011, and another for visualizing the recent tuna catch by fishing method.

Users can generate a variety of customized and exportable graphics within the tool based on the parameters they choose in the checkboxes (such as “ocean location”) or buttons. By hovering or clicking on the graphics, users can see percentages and other details.

On the Stock Health tab, data can be filtered first by tuna species and ocean region. The user can choose between visualizing data relative to total catch or to number of stocks, and between ratings on stock abundance or on fishing mortality. As a result, the corresponding area graph is generated. Like the Status of the Stocks reports, the tool uses a color rating system: green (“healthy”), yellow (“intermediate”), and orange (“needs improvement”).

The Catch tab currently features data from 2016, the most recent year for which complete catch data are available. Gear type data can be filtered by ocean location to generate a bar chart.

ISSF’s “Status of the Stocks Tool” will be updated as new iterations of the Status of the Stocks Reportare released. To access the most recent Status of the Stocks report in full, click here.

About the ISSF Status of the Stocks Report

There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide – 6 albacore, 4 bigeye, 4 bluefin, 5 skipjack, and 4 yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of the most recent scientific assessments of these stocks, as well as the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs. This report ranks the status and management of the 23 stocks using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF also produces a complementary report, the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria (MSC) which provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) inStatus of the Stocks complements the Evaluation report.

Together, these tools help to define the continuous improvement achieved, as well as the areas and issues that require more attention. Access the newly updated ISSF stock status ratings here.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the world’s leading conservation organization — promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. Helping global tuna fisheries meet sustainability criteria to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certification standard — without conditions — is ISSF’s ultimate objective. To learn more, visit iss-foundation.org, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram(@issf.official).

 

PNA Tuna Fishery Receives MSC Recertification After IPNLF Objections

March 29, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The PNA tuna fishery has received their MSC recertification following concerns raised by the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF).

As we reported earlier this month, an independent adjudicator confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery continued to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing. This inspection came after IPNLF presented 24 objections against the sustainable fishery, including that the fishery was involved in shark finning, a practice that the MSC had banned in 2013.

“This highlights the strength of the MSC process,” MSC Science and Standards Director Dr. David Agnew said in a press release following the Independent Adjudicator’s findings. “As a result of this objection, more information is now in the public domain about the PNA fishery, adding to the information in the published assessment report, and improving the transparency of the fishery’s management. This confirms that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery is a sustainable and well-managed fishery that has made considerable improvements over the course of its first MSC certificate. People buying labeled PNA tuna can be confident that their purchase is making a positive difference to the sustainability of our oceans.”

The MSC certificate is good for five years and confirms that the PNA free-school fishery meets the “robust criteria of the MSC.” In addition, free-school tuna caught in the Exclusive Economic Zone off Tokelau is now eligible for MSC certification under the new MSC certificate.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

 

Whale deaths result in Canada’s snow crab fishery losing MSC certification

March 21, 2018 — Canada’s East Coast snow crab fishery has had its sustainable catch certification suspended by the Marine Stewardship Council, the organization announced on 20 March. Until another audit occurs in October 2018, some Maritime snow crab will not be able to display the MSC label.

The certification suspension is the result of incidents involving the deaths of 13 North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2017. Necropsies showed that three of the whales died as the result of entanglement with crab gear. The audit also found that of a further five live entanglements, four were with crab gear.

The certification suspension is the result of incidents involving the deaths of 13 North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2017. Necropsies showed that three of the whales died as the result of entanglement with crab gear. The audit also found that of a further five live entanglements, four were with crab gear.

Philip Hamilton, a research scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, described last summer as the perfect storm when it came to right whale mortality. The whales appeared in waters where they have never been before and during a fishing season when there were more crab pots and rope in the water.

Peter Norsworthy, executive director of the Affiliation of Seafood Producers Association of Nova Scotia (ASPANS), said 2017 was an extraordinary year.

“It was a longer fishery last year because the quota was higher than it had ever been. So it took a lot longer to execute the fishery than it normally would. Normally, 75 percent of the catch is landed within the first three weeks. This year, the quota is going to be down to normal levels, about 25,000 tonnes vs last year’s 43,000 tonnes. So we fully expect it will be caught in a normal time period and finish by the end of May,” Norsworthy said. “Hopefully, with an earlier start we’ll get most of the fishing completed before the whales show up, if they show up again.”

Norsworthy said fishermen were unsure what the certification suspension will mean to individual fishermen in terms of catch prices. He said they will wait to see “how the market responds.”

“I think most buyers realize 2017 was an unusual circumstance and are fairly well-informed about what activities are being undertaken [to protect the whales],” he said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Marine Stewardship Council Celebrates 20 Years of Keeping Oceans Wild

March 6, 2018 — SEATTLE — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s most recognized, science-based seafood certification program, marks 20 years of working to keep the world’s oceans wild with a new campaign. “Keep It Wild” celebrates the people who love wild seafood and who have been instrumental in partnering with the MSC to protect the world’s oceans over the past two decades. The MSC has launched a new website – 20.msc.org – to better highlight its work and mission and to encourage consumers to continue choosing seafood with the organization’s blue fish label that denotes wild, certified and sustainable seafood.

“Since the MSC’s establishment in late 1997, we have engaged numerous stakeholders – from fisheries and processors to restaurants, retailers and consumers – in our vision to see the world’s oceans teeming with life to ensure a healthy seafood supply for today, tomorrow and always,” said Brian Perkins, regional director for the Americas at the Marine Stewardship Council. “As we embark on the next 20 years, and beyond, we want to celebrate those who have turned that vision into a reality. While much work remains, we are proud of our collective accomplishments thus far and look forward to continuing our momentum.”

A mission translates into milestones

Conceived in response to global fisheries challenges such as overfishing and habitat destruction, the MSC was established as a nonprofit by Unilever and WWF to contribute to the health of the world’s oceans. The MSC uses its blue fish label and strict fishery certification standards to support its mission in three ways: recognizing and rewarding sustainable fishing practices, influencing the choices people make when buying seafood, and working with partners to transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis.

Since its inception, the MSC has created highly specialized certification standards and traceability systems, which are continually refined and updated with the latest fisheries science. Organizations that seek certification do so voluntarily, and independent third-party entities determine whether those organizations meet the MSC’s stringent requirements before awarding certification. To meet the MSC’s standards, applicants must demonstrate alignment with three core principles: guaranteeing sustainability of fish populations, committing to minimal ecosystem impacts, and implementing effective management practices that respond to environmental changes.

The MSC’s rigorous approach has attracted stakeholders from around the world – including fisheries, processors, restaurants, retailers and consumers – in its efforts to achieve significant milestones in sustainability:

  • 12 percent of all global catch is now certified to MSC standards
  • 300 fisheries are certified globally, and 22 of those are in the U.S.
  • More than 33,000 companies around the world, representing every level of the supply chain, are MSC certified
  • More than 23,000 products carry the MSC’s blue fish label in about 100 markets
  • The U.S. market has more than 1,000 products with the blue fish label

Keeping the world’s oceans teeming with life is a collaborative effort, and the MSC has reached out not only to fisheries, but to businesses with global impacts. For instance, in 2006, Walmart committed to sourcing all fresh and frozen seafood from organizations certified to the MSC standard. In 2011, McDonald’s restaurants in Europe adopted blue fish labeled products, and the following years saw a similar movement by its U.S. and Canadian operations. In 2015, IKEA pledged to serve only sustainable seafood throughout its markets.

The MSC has also earned the respect of sustainability-focused organizations around the world. It was the first global seafood certification to achieve recognition from the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative for its credibility and rigor. Additionally, the MSC was recognized for best practices by ISEAL Alliance and UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

MSC maintains focus to ‘Keep It Wild’


As the MSC looks to the future, it is working to fold more individuals and organizations into its mission. With a new Keep It Wild campaign, the nonprofit is celebrating the people – known as “the Wild Ones” – who have turned their love of wild seafood into a solution for the world’s at-risk oceans. The campaign will highlight the fishers, processors, fish mongers, grocers, restaurateurs, chefs, consumers and even pets who enjoy seafood carrying the blue fish label, which is affixed to products ranging from fresh, frozen, canned and preserved items to supplements and pet food.

The Keep It Wild campaign will be featured online at 20.msc.org, in retailers, on the Food Network’s “Food Quest” show, and at the Environmental Film Festival in Washington, D.C. In addition to celebrating the people behind the organization’s success, Keep It Wild will provide consumers with guidance on how to find and select sustainable and traceable seafood products so they can do their part in keeping the oceans wild for generations to come.

Read the release here.

 

MSC: Ocean Naturals and Kraft Heinz Offer Sustainable, Traceable Tuna from Ocean to Plate

March 6, 2018 — SEATTLE — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

Food service restaurants who serve Ocean Naturals brand tuna from Kraft Heinz are serving seafood that supports the fishermen and fisherwomen who are working hard to meet the world’s most rigorous standard for sustainable fishing. Kraft Heinz has achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for their skipjack and albacore tuna, which is sold to food service operators in the United States for tuna sandwiches and tuna salads.

Kraft Heinz has obtained Chain of Custody (CoC) certification demonstrating their commitment to the sustainability of the fishery. With CoC certification, they can provide restaurant operators with confidence in the sustainability credentials of the Ocean Naturals tuna supplied by The Tuna Store, a part of the Tri Marine Group, that they use in their sandwich and salad recipes.

“This is tuna with not only great sustainability credentials but also a very rich and compelling story about tuna dependent island communities catching and producing quality tuna products for the U.S. market, ” according to Joe Hamby CEO of The Tuna Store.

The MSC is an international non-profit organization, established to safeguard seafood supplies for the future. Recognized as the world’s leading certification program for sustainable, wild-caught seafood, the MSC works with leaders within the fishing industry and seafood sector to create a more sustainable seafood market.

All tuna served at dining institutions in the U.S. market that use Ocean Naturals tuna is sourced from a sustainable and well-managed fishery. Ocean Naturals Skipjack tuna now comes from the Solomon Islands and island cannery Sol Tuna while the Albacore is sourced from the Cook Islands fishery. Roughly 13 percent of the annual global harvest of wild-capture fisheries are MSC certified.

“We congratulate Kraft Heinz on attaining MSC Chain of Custody certification and joining The Tuna Store in providing sustainable tuna options in the U.S.” said Brian Perkins, MSC regional director, Americas. “The MSC sets robust and credible requirements for organizations handling MSC certified seafood, and we’re proud that The Tuna Store and Kraft Heinz are among those taking the lead in seafood sustainability.”

Because Ocean Naturals tuna is offered in food service establishments (i.e. – delis, cafeterias, food service restaurants, etc.), consumers may not be aware that they’re eating certified, sustainable seafood. Kraft Heinz intends on focusing on chefs, food operators, and buyers who can feel good about serving MSC-certified tuna and in turn passing the benefit on to the consumer.

About the MSC

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization. Our vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations. Our ecolabel and certification program recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market.

The MSC ecolabel on a seafood product means that:

  • It comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC’s science-based standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.
  • It’s fully traceable to a sustainable source.

More than 300 fisheries in over 34 countries are certified to the MSC’s Standard. These fisheries have a combined annual seafood production of almost nine million metric tonnes, representing 12% of global marine catch. More than 25,000 seafood products worldwide carry the MSC label. For more information visit www.msc.org

 

Independent Adjudicator Finds No Shark Finning Issue in PNA Tuna Fishery

March 2, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Following concerns brought up by the International Pole and Line Foundation, an Independent Adjudicator has confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery “continues to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing.

Although the International Pole and Line Foundation raised a “number of concerns,” one of the bigger issues revolved around the group’s claim that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery is involved in shark finning. MSC had banned the practice of shark finning in 2013, and a ban was also put in place by the PNA governments. According to the MSC, shark finning now only occurs in “isolated cases.” The Independent Adjudicator dismissed the claims of shark finning in the fishery, saying that it is “unrealistic” to make a fishery ineligible for certification based on a single incident. An auditor has recommended that the PNA continue to prosecute shark finning offenders and maintain enforcement actions.

“This highlights the strength of the MSC process,” MSC Science and Standards Director Dr. David Agnew said in a press release. “As a result of this objection, more information is now in the public domain about the PNA fishery, adding to the information in the published assessment report, and improving the transparency of the fishery’s management. This confirms that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery is a sustainable and well-managed fishery that has made considerable improvements over the course of its first MSC certificate. People buying MSC labelled PNA tuna can be confident that their purchase is making a positive difference to the sustainability of our oceans.”

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

 

Japanese scallop fishery on track for MSC

February 23, 2018 — Independent certification body Acoura Marine has determined that Japan’s “scallop hanging and seabed enhanced fisheries” meet the Marine Stewardship Council standard, and should be certified.

The process is now open to a 15 working day period during which a previously involved stakeholder may lodge a notice of objection to this determination.

In 2016 the fishery produced 279,823 metric tons of scallops. The species is naturally distributed in coastal, sub-Arctic areas of the eastern Pacific including the Japan Sea and southern Sea of Okhotsk, around Sakhalin Island, Hokkaido, and northern Honshu.

Japanese scallop grow relatively fast, and may reach 20 centimeters shell height and weigh 1 kilogram at ten years of age.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Seafood Icon Northern Wind® Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary in Business

February 16, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by Northern Wind: 

Northern Wind, an industry leader as a direct off-loader, processor and distributor of fresh and frozen scallops is proud to announce that the company is celebrating its 30th year in business. Since its founding in 1987 by Ken Melanson and Michael Fernandes, Northern Wind has established itself as one of America’s fastest growing seafood processing and distribution companies, providing its customers with a wide variety of premium scallops and seafood from across the globe. Northern Wind prides itself in providing their customers with the freshest seafood products that have been responsibly harvested using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. With three decades of business relationships throughout New England and across the globe, Northern Wind is a top direct-off loader, processor and distributor of fresh and frozen scallops.

“Over the last thirty years, Northern Wind has not only remained strong throughout many economic ups and downs, but we’ve grown the business and we now serve well over 500 customers across the globe,” said Ken Melanson, Founder & Chairman of Northern Wind. “First, our expertise at delivering top quality, responsibly sourced and sustainable scallops and fresh seafood is paramount in our success. Secondly, is our employee’s hard work and dedication to providing superior customer service which has enabled us to attract and retain hundreds of loyal customers.”

Northern Wind’s seafood products include fresh and frozen scallops, Ahi tuna, North Atlantic lobster, monkfish, headfish, skate and value-added seafood offerings. Northern Wind’s 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility is certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce Seafood Inspection Program for packing of USDC Grade A fresh and frozen scallops. Northern Wind was the first scallop producer in the nation to receive Fair Trade™ Certification and during the 2017-18 fishing season purchased over 1 Million pounds of Fair Trade scallops. In addition, Northern Wind’s start-of-the-art processing facility is BRC and MSC certified.

The company has also launched a new line of high quality premium scallops under the Five Star Premium Scallop brand name which was introduced at last year’s Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Ma. The company has also redesigned its Captain’s Call, Mariner’s Choice and Sea Spray scallop product lines to better portray Northern Wind’s leadership position in the seafood industry.

“The first 30 years have been an incredible ride. We’ve been blessed to have employees who are dedicated to quality and providing excellent customer service. I can’t wait to see what the next 30 years bring,” stated Michael Fernandes, Founder & President of Northern Wind.

Since the beginning, the Northern Wind team has always dedicated themselves to consistently supplying their customers with the highest quality seafood products and providing them with superior customer service and competitive prices.

View the release in its entirety here.