The press release of German mussel fisheries states that it is now gearing up to get the prestigious MSC ecolabel for its products as the fisheries have entered full assessment against the internationally recognised MSC standard for sustainable fishing for their harvesting of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis).
The vessels are attached to Erzeugerorganisation Schleswig-Holsteinischer Muschelzüchter e.V., a producers’ organisation. The harvest combines wild mussel fishing and mussel farming Eight of the fishing vessels harvest mussels from culture plots in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, and one harvests wild mussels in the coastal waters of the Flensburg inner fjord outside the conservation areas.
SGS is going to conduct this assessment which is scheduled to last 8-12 months. The blue mussel harvest combines wild mussel fishing and mussel farming. Seed mussels are harvested from wild mussel beds where spats settle naturally. In the 2009 fishing season, the eight fishing vessels harvested 1510 metric tonnes of marketable mussels. The main harvesting season for both fishing areas runs from July to February each year.
Marnie Bammert, MSC Country Manager, Berlin said that sustainable, forward-looking management of blue mussel stocks is important for the long-term preservation of this valuable resource. She told that blue mussels perform an important function in the ecological balance of the marine ecosystem. Peter Ewaldsen, Managing Director of Erzeugerorganisation Schleswig-Holsteinischer Muschelzüchter e.V. said that they are taking up the challenge and are having our fishing activities assessed for environmental sustainability.
