Working in partnership with industry stakeholders from the inshore and processing sectors, BIM has announced that it is to officially launch a Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) for Ireland’s brown crab fishery. The aim is to improve sustainable operations within a fishery and to work towards MSC certification over a 3-5 year period.
‘The Brown Crab Fishery Improvement Project brings together government, industry and NGOs to address common challenges we face in securing a sustainable future for our crab fishery in a pre-competitive partnership,’ outlined BIM’s CEO Jim O’Toole.
‘We now have a co-ordinated industry group that will drive sustainability to best ensure our fishermen and processors will be rewarded for responding to market demands. This is an exciting development and is the first of four FIPs that BIM are supporting this year. The Brown Crab FIP is aligned to BIM’s Responsibly Sourced Standard, a key driver of seafood sustainability objectives outlined in the Government’s Food Wise 2025 report.’
The Brown Crab FIP has been independently accepted by the NGO Fishery Progress. Three more FIPs are scheduled for support by BIM in 2017 covering the nephrops, whitefish and albacore tuna sectors. BIM have linked the participation in registered FIPs to BIM’s Responsibly Sourced Seafood Scheme, the agency’s accreditation standard for the sector. This link provides the opportunity for actions and participation in a FIP to be independently third party verified and certified.
The FIP will focus on key areas of sustainable sourcing – healthy fish stocks, effective fisheries management, improved quality and market performance. The activities of the FIP will be regularly tracked by Fishery Progress and performance measured against the activities and outcomes identified in the agreed work plan.
Participation in the FIP is voluntary and open to any fisherman or processor, once they agree to implement the rules jointly set out by the FIP stakeholders.
