According to the press communiqué the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery, operated by Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline, has entered full assessment for MSC certification. Independent certification body Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), will evaluate the Southern Ocean fishery against the MSC environmental standard for well-managed and sustainable fisheries.
As per the release the standard examines the sustainability of the fish stock, the environmental impact of the fishing activities and the management and governance systems that are in place. There are three vessels in the fishery responsible for a total annual catch of more than 500 metric tonnes of toothfish using long-line and trawl methods. The main market for this fishery are US, Japanese and Chinese markets.
Austral Fisheries CEO, David Carter said that having MSC certificate for the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery is commitment to sustainable fishing practices. It also broadens support for the MSC program as the world’s pre-eminent, scientifically rigorous and independent certification for wild caught fisheries. He also said that this collaborative working has led to strict management measures being placed on the fishery limiting the number of vessels allowed to operate, setting target and bycatch limits and imposing seasonal closures and stringent seabird mitigation requirements.
Australian Longline’s CEO, Les Scott, commented that Australian Longline and Austral Fisheries have also been working together to focus on longlining methods and have agreed not to use trawl fishing while developing improved understandings of the toothfish stocks and their distribution on the Macquarie Ridge. Patrick Caleo, MSC Manager ANZ, said that Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline should be congratulated for their ongoing commitment to sustainable fishing practices, and their efforts to safeguard seafood stocks for future generations.
