The Producers’ Organization of the Dutch Fishermen’s Association (DFA) razor clam fishery has entered full assessment for Marine Stewardship Council certification. The fishery is the first to be assessed against the MSC’s policy guidelines for introduced species.
The DFA razor clam fishery takes place in the southwestern and northern coastal waters of the Netherlands. There are eight licenses, four of which are in use. The vessels operate suction dredges and catch about 3,500 metric tons. This is 44 percent of the 2010 total allowable catch of 8,000 metric tons. The clams mainly go to the Spanish and Italian markets.
The assessment will be partially funded by a certification grant from the Dutch Ministry of Economics, Agriculture and Innovation, as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting Dutch fisheries seeking certification.
“This fishery has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, fishing under the strict regulations of our organization’s management plan and the Nature Conservation Act,” said Derk Jan Berends of the DFA. “We are very pleased that with the MSC’s new policy guidelines we now finally have the opportunity to have our fisheries management independently assessed against the MSC standards for sustainable fisheries.”
