The Faroese queen scallop fishery enters full assessment against the MSC standard for sustainable fishing.
The prestigious MSC label can be used by the Faroese queen scallop fishery for its products as it has entered the independent third-party full assessment process for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. The fishery has the M/V Nordheim fishing vessel, sole license holder. The M/V Nordheim (owned by O.C. Joensen, the certification client), is the sole license holder for queen scallop (Aequipecten opercularis sp.) in Faroese waters. Fishing occurs in two areas within the 200 nm EEZ limit of the Faroese Island.
The fishery is co-managed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs and O.C Joensen. The queen scallop is the only bivalve of commercial interest in the Faroe Islands. A fishery targeting queen scallops within the Faroese EEZ was begun in 1970, inspired by the Scottish queen scallop fishery.
Jógvan Martin F. Joensen, Director for Project Development at O.C. Joensen said that MSC label will allow the fishery enter the market of sustainable products. Gisli Gislason, consultant for the MSC in Iceland and the Faroese Islands, said that the entry of this fishery into MSC assessment program demonstrates their commitment to sustainability as well as conveying a clear message to the market.
