Iceland’s cod fishery has been certified as responsibly managed according to the Iceland Responsible Fisheries program, the Fisheries Association of Iceland announced on Wednesday.
For the country’s most valuable fishery, the designation comes after three years of independent, third-party verification of responsible fisheries management according to standards based on Food and Agriculture Organization-International Organization for Standardization standards. The certification was issued by Ireland-based Global Trust Certification, which is also assessing Alaska’s fisheries management systems.
Icelandic cod is now eligible to carry the Iceland Responsible Fisheries eco-label.
The certification “provides an internal benchmark for the management authorities and fishermen of Iceland to rate performance and track improvements,” said Dr. Kristján Thórarinsson, the initiative’s director.
“The Global Trust Certification committee recognized a well-managed, responsible fishery based on good science,” said Global Trust CEO Peter Marshall, adding that the details of the certification will be available on the Global Trust website in January.
Cod represents more than one-third of Iceland’s total seafood exports, which accounted for 42 percent of Iceland’s total exports of ISK 209 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) in 2009.
The certification was accepted during a ceremony at the Víkin Maritime Museum in Reykjavik by two Icelandic children and their grandfather, captain of the fishing vessel Örfirisey. Icelandic Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Jón Bjarnason was in attendance.
