Scottish government, MSC partner

The Scottish government announced on Thursday that it is partnering with the Marine Stewardship Council to encourage more Scottish fisheries to participate in the sustainable seafood certification program and to raise awareness of the MSC eco-label in the marketplace.

The GBP 200,000 (EUR 228,000, USD 313,300) project will be jointly funded by the Scottish government and MSC.

On Thursday, Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead was on hand at the Dakota Restaurant in South Queensferry, the first Scottish restaurant to earn MSC chain-of-custody certification, to mark the partnership’s launch.

"Over half of all Scottish fisheries by value are now either MSC-certified or in the full-assessment process, and many more are on the road to achieving the gold standard of sustainability,” said Lochhead. “This is hugely encouraging, as the future health and viability of our fisheries is dependent on our stocks being harvested in a responsible manner.”

Four Scottish fisheries are MSC-certified: Loch Torridon nephrops, Stornoway nephrops, Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) northeast Atlantic mackerel and SPSG North Sea herring. And four fisheries are under assessment: Clyde nephrops trawl and creel, SPSG Atlanto Scandian herring, Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association (SWFPA) North Sea haddock and SWFPA North Sea nephrops.

“I am extremely proud of Scotland’s conservation credentials and pay tribute to our fishing sector for the enviable reputation for fishing sustainably it has forged,” said Lochhead. “Sustainability sells products and more consumers than ever before are seeking a guarantee that the product they eat is from sustainable sources. Certification is also what the market wants, and in these tough economic times it’s vital that we do everything in our power to ensure profitability of this important industry.”

More than 150 fisheries are engaged in the London-based MSC program, with 46 fisheries certified. Collectively, the fisheries represent more than 5 million metric tons of seafood.

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