According to the press communiqué of Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC) all Norwegian North East Arctic cod and haddock fisheries products can use prestigious ecolabel of MSC. The fisheries have successfully completed MSC assessments, in 2012 an expected total of 340,000MT of Norwegian cod and 153,000MT of Norwegian haddock will be eligible to use the MSC Eco-label.
The certification includes the fisheries that take place in the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone (ICES areas I and II), from mid-Norway and northwards along the coast and into the Barents Sea. Karin Olsen, marketing manager, whitefish, NSEC said that Norway has a long tradition for managing its fisheries in harmony with nature, and is internationally regarded as one of the world’s leaders in sustainable fisheries management.
He told that Norway’s coastal region is mainly depend on fishing as far as its economy goes. MSC certificate will ensure the future generations with more opportunities of enjoying Norwegian cod and haddock. Camiel Derichs, Deputy Director Europe (MSC) said that this is a milestone for the MSC program, and a fantastic result for the collective Norwegian seafood industry. Norwegian cod and haddock fisheries are among the most important whitefish fisheries in the world, from a market as well as from a historical perspective.
The fishery had to meet certain challenges in order to attain the MSC standard. While target cod and haddock stocks in the Barents Sea were at healthy population levels, and overall well-managed, a pre-assessment indicated areas where co-operation and changes to management would be required.
