The Eastern Canada offshore sea scallop fishery has begun its full assessment for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
Extending from Georges Bank to the Eastern Scotian Shelf and St. Pierre, the wild-capture fishery utilizes New Bedford scallop rake fishing gear. Established in 1945, the fishery has averaged a catch of 6,645 metric tons annually over the past six years. By value, sea scallop is the third-ranked seafood species in Nova Scotia and had a worldwide export market in 2005/06 worth CAD$121,510,883.
In the assessment process, the status of the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) stock will be carefully evaluated, along with the impacts that the fishery has on the marine environment, and the effectiveness of the fishery management system. If granted MSC certification, sea scallop products from this fishery will be eligible to display the MSC eco-label.
Brad Ack, regional director for MSC Americas, said, “At the same time that Canadian retailers are increasing their commitment to certified-sustainable seafood, Canadian fisheries are showing the same enthusiasm for MSC certification. We are pleased that the Eastern Canadian offshore sea scallops fishery has chosen to measure its sustainability against the MSC standard by pursuing MSC certification, a system that assures consumers of a fishery’s sustainability.”
The clients for this assessment are Adams and Knickle Limited, Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership, Comeau’s Sea Foods Limited, LaHave Seafoods Limited and Ocean Choice International L.P.
The assessment process, estimated to take 12 to 14 months, is being conducted by independent certifier Moody Marine Ltd. External stakeholders will be included in the process to ensure that all relevant knowledge about the fishery is taken into account.
