The North Sea and Skagerrak Saithe fishery on Monday announced that it was certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Jointly managed by the members of the Danish Fishermen’s Producer Organization (DFPO), the fishery’s 7,000 metric tons of Danish saithe is now eligible to display the blue MSC eco-label.
The fishery comprises around 150 vessels using seine nets, static nets and demersal trawls. The fishery is subject to the 2004 EU-Norway agreement and is managed according to the EU-Norway harvest control rule. Sea and landings inspections are carried out by EU national enforcement agencies and Norwegian coast guard service.
The main markets for Danish saithe are Germany, Netherlands, France and Spain. A small portion of the catch is filleted in Denmark for domestic consumption.
“As fishermen, out members take pride in a good catch. Landing MSC certification for our saithe fishery is a good catch for us. It documents — in the minutest detail — that we can provide top-quality seafood while making sure that the fantastic diversity of marine life in our seas remain to support the next generation of fishermen,” said Jonathan Jacobsen, DFPO project manager. “And in the way it tells our discerning consumers that buying Danish saithe is a good catch for them as well.”
