Three more Icelandic fisheries are now pursuing Iceland Responsible Fisheries certification, six months after the country’s cod fishery earned the distinction.
On Tuesday, the haddock, saithe and golden redfish fisheries submitted applications to be assessed under the program. Ireland-based Global Trust will serve as the third-party certifier, and all three fisheries that now will be subjected to the same ISO 65-based assessment procedures as the cod fishery.
Three groups — the Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners, Federation of Icelandic Fish Processing Plants and National Association of Small Boat Owners, Iceland — are serving as the client.
All fisheries occur within the Iceland’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone and are managed by Iceland’s Ministry of Fisheries.
If certified, the fish will be eligible to carry the Iceland Responsible Fisheries eco-label.
“Iceland recognizes the importance of responsible fisheries management. Seafood is our heritage, our livelihood and our future. Utilizing Iceland's rich marine resources in an efficient and responsible manner that ensures our future is at the very heart of our management policy,” said Gunnar Tómasson, chair of the Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation and manager of production and marketing at Thorbjorninn in Grindavik.
“Now, through the Iceland Responsible Fisheries Program, we have the mechanism to demonstrate this in a manner recognized by our valuable supply chain partners and global stakeholders in seafood,” he added.
