According to a report Northsyde Processing Limited, Produits Belle Baie Ltée and the Island Fishermen Cooperative Association have entered the shrimp fishery on the Scotian Shelf into independent, third-party assessment under the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) certification program. In this process the fishery of these three companies will be evaluated against the MSC principles and criteria for sustainable fishing. After successful completion of the process the products of these companies sold through these companies will be eligible to bear the MSC ecolabel recognizing products from well-managed and sustainable sources.
Scotian shelf shrimp fishery encompasses otter trawl vessels and other harvesters using traps that target shrimp (pandalus borealis) off the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia in Shrimp Fishing Areas 13–15. The assessment of these two harvesting methods of shrimp follows an initial certification completed for trawl fisheries in SFA 13 – 15 against the MSC standard in 2008.
Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Ocean manage this shrimp fishery on the Scotian Shelf. Total allowable catches of shrimp in this area have averaged 5,000 metric tonnes in recent years, with harvesting open year round, though focused primarily from April to October.
Jim Kennedy, president of Northsyde Processing Limited, a division of Louisbourg Seafoods Limited, informed that after getting MSC label they can responsibly meet market demand and continue to grow their company’s presence in the main marketplace for Nova Scotia shrimp, which is in the UK and Europe.
Fernand Brideau, speaking for Produits Belle Baie Ltée, told that MSC certification will be a statement to the market that our shrimp comes from a sustainable and well-managed fishery and will be a perfect complement to our shrimp marketing as a top quality, healthy product that is high in protein, Omega-3 and other minerals. Serge Haché, speaking for Island Fishermen Cooperative Association, said that it is god to know that the Nova Scotia fishery has entered full assessment and we look forward to having this additional component of our supply, if successful, become MSC certified.”
