The client for this assessment is the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council (GEAC). The assessment comprises all vessels that capture haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in the areas of the southern Scotian Shelf, Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy. The client has contracted Moody Marine Ltd. as the third-party certifier to conduct its assessment against the MSC global standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. The assessment process is estimated to take approximately 12 months.
The vessels in the Scotia-Fundy haddock fishery primarily use otter trawls and long lines to land the haddock, but hand lines and gillnets are also used on some vessels. The fishery mainly supplies fresh and frozen products to markets in Canada, the United States and the European Union.
Bruce Chapman, executive director for GEAC, said, “An increasing number of companies to which we sell have made commitments to sourcing from sustainable fisheries. At the same time, we have seen a growing demand for independent verification of sustainability. With these factors in mind, MSC certification became the clear choice for the Scotia-Fundy haddock fishery to pursue.”
“Haddock is an important fish in the North American and European markets, and companies throughout the supply chain are asking for more MSC-certified whitefish products,” said Brad Ack, regional director for MSC Americas. “If the Scotia-Fundy haddock fishery is found to meet the MSC standard and become certified, consumers would have more access to whitefish products that are certified as sustainable and display the MSC ecolabel. We welcome the haddock fishery into the assessment process.”
