The North East Sea Fisheries Committee (NESFC) Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fishery near Bridlington, UK has been awarded the coveted Marine Stewardship Council eco-label for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. The certificate follows a comprehensive, independent assessment by certifier Moody Marine . Fish and fish products from the fishery are now eligible to carry the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC’s) coveted eco-label for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
The NESFC Sea Bass fishery is a rare example of a fishery that does not use boats to catch fish. Instead, lightweight nets are set on the beach, during a short six-month fishing season, between the low and high tide marks and the fish are caught twice a day as the tide turns. Each year, the fishermen catch around 7 tonnes of sea bass and have made voluntary adaptations to their nets (including pingers to deter marine mammals) and fishing practices to ensure that unwanted by-catch is kept to a minimum.
David McCandless from NESFC says: “This is a fantastic achievement for a very small, highly selective, local fishery and I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the fishermen involved and Yorkshire Forward for sponsoring the work”
Sea Bass fisherman, Frank Powell says: “This is deserved. This is a small, highly regulated, sustainable fishery, catching top quality sea bass. We’re proud to be MSC certified”
Sarah Pearson, Head of Strategy for Humber at Yorkshire Forward adds; “This is a great accolade and well deserved. It clearly demonstrates the commitment within Yorkshire and Humber to innovative, sustainable growth within one of our key industries.”
Rupert Howes, Chief Exec of the Marine Stewardship Council says: “I am delighted to see the NESFC Sea Bass fishery certified. This is an unusual fishery in very a beautiful part of the country and the fishermen have shown great enthusiasm for the fishery’s drive towards MSC certification. I hope that the MSC eco-label will bring them great benefits in the future.”
