The Marine Stewardship Council on Monday announced that lobstermen from France and Great Britain jointly applied for MSC certification, marking the first time fisheries in two countries have done so.
Members of the Comité Régional des Pêches Maritimes de Basse Normandie (CRPM BN) of Lower Normandy in France and the Jersey Fishermen’s Association in Great Britain have entered into full assessment to obtain the MSC eco-label.
The groups have a longstanding collaboration. The trans-boundary management of the lobster fisheries has been in place for years and is based on a number of international agreements and treaties.
The European lobster is caught using pots by a fleet of more than 100 vessels, with annual landings totaling around 280 metric tons.
“We are seeking certification to earn recognition for the progress made throughout the past 25 years by the CRPM BN to ensure the sustainability of regional resources. For the lobster fishery, it is also an opportunity to strengthen our ties with the Jersey Fishermen’s Association,” said Daniel Lefevre, CRPM BN president.
“We are in regular contact to put in place consistent management measures in our shared fishing areas,” he added. “In addition, we are already working in collaboration with the Association Normandie Fraîcheur Mer to support other regional fisheries considering certification. We are hopeful that two further fisheries from Lower Normandy will join the MSC program within the next two years.”
