The Louisiana blue crab fishery has earned Marine Stewardship Council certification, the London-based nonprofit announced on Sunday, Day 1 of the International Boston Seafood Show.
It is the United States’ third crab fishery and the world’s fourth crab fishery to ear the distinction. The Atlantic deep sea crab fishery was the first U.S. crab fishery to be certified in September 2009, followed by the Oregon Dungeness crab fishery in December 2010.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board (LSMPB) served as the fishery’s clients, while the fishery was assessed by independent, third-party certifier Scientific Certification Systems.
“MSC certification is a major, positive development for thousands of Louisiana commercial blue crab fishermen, our processors and marketers and the entire Gulf region,” said LSMPB Executive Director Ewell Smith. “MSC certification brings a new source of pride and confidence in Louisiana Seafood and it will help us assure buyers and consumers across the United States that Louisiana Seafood is sustainable.”
In Louisiana, blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) are harvested year-round, and annual landings average 40 million pounds, representing nearly about 30 percent of total U.S. blue crab landings in 2009. While crab is landed from all state waters, more than half of the Louisiana blue crab is harvested primarily from two areas — Lake Pontchartrain basin and Terrebonne basin.
