The Dutch Fisheries Organisation’s gill and tangle net fishery for Dover sole has entered full assessment for Marine Stewardship Council certification [1]. If successful, subject to traceability certification, the fishery will be able to display the MSC eco-label on its products. This shows they can be traced back to an independently certified, sustainable and well-managed fishery. The Dutch Fisheries Organisation (DFO; in Dutch: Stichting van de Nederlandse Visserij) has commissioned the assessment on behalf of 38 fishermen.
The gill and tangle net fishery operates in the Dutch coastal waters. The fishery takes place between the months of March and October targeting the larger fish that come inshore at this time. 60 mostly small vessels are involved in the fishery. Dover sole makes up two thirds of the landings from this fishery, giving an annual yield of 200 tonnes of sole.
Derk Jan Berends of the DFO says: “The Dutch gill and tangle net fishery for Dover sole is a sustainable fishery and we would like to keep it that way. MSC certification will help us by making further improvements to our management plan together with all stakeholders. The fishing municipalities of The Hague and Velsen have already committed to this initiative. Other societal organisations also support the fishermen’s move towards a sustainable future. For us this is a vote of confidence”.
Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the MSC says: “Earlier this year the Dutch fleet signed a historic memorandum of understanding with the World Wide Fund for Nature, the North Sea Foundation and the Minister for Fisheries to bring all Dutch North Sea demersal fisheries in the MSC programme by 2012. I am delighted to see the first of these fisheries, the DFO gill and tangle fishery for Dover sole, now move forward into full assessment and look forward to other Dutch demersal fisheries moving forward in the near future as part of the Dutch fishing industry’s commitment to demonstrate the sustainability of their fishing practices”.
The assessment will be carried out by independent certifier Food Certification International
