The US Northeastern longfin inshore squid fishery in the NW Atlantic is the first squid fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification as sustainable and well-managed, with certification awarded following a detailed 11-month assessment.
The longfin inshore squid (Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii), also referred to as loligo squid, has a lifespan of less than one year. They spawn year-round as they migrate between inshore and offshore waters. They generally remain inshore during spring and offshore during late autumn.
As with most squid species, environmental factors such as temperature play a significant role in the timing of migrations, distribution, growth, and spawning. Due to changing water temperatures, squid have been migrating further north than in past years. It is one species that may benefit from climate change, rather than be negatively impacted by it, according to studies.
The fishery takes place on the US continental shelf from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Squid are harvested in demersal trawl gear by fishery client group Lund’s Fisheries Inc. of Cape May, New Jersey, and The Town Dock of Narragansett, Rhode Island along with independent fishermen throughout the region using the same fishing method.
‘We are excited to build additional trust with our customers through MSC’s certification of our longfin squid fishery,’ said Wayne Reichle, President of Lund’s Fisheries. ‘This certification demonstrates that our domestic fisheries management system is working to sustainably manage our major squid fishery to the benefit of the resource, fishing communities, and calamari lovers everywhere.’
‘All of us at The Town Dock are excited to be part of such a historic initiative,’ said Ryan Clark, CEO of The Town Dock. ‘Our goal has always been to provide customers with a healthy and sustainable product. By certifying longfin squid, we hope to take the promise of sustainability a step further by protecting the fishery to ensure consumers have access to squid now and for many years to come.’
The two companies are also immediately pursuing a scope extension via an expedited assessment of the Northern shortfin squid small mesh bottom trawl fishery under MSC principles. Northern shortfin squid (Illex illecebrosus), also known as illex, is a commercially important species with a broad range that extends between the Sea of Labrador and the Florida Straits.
