A comprehensive fisheries improvement project has been launched in Mexico for octopus by a group of Mexican producers, processors, and international companies that export Yucatan Mayan octopus to the U.S.
The new FIP involved Netuno USA; Artisan Catch, which recently rebranded from Orca Seafoods; PROMARMEX; MAS PESCA; Smart Fish; and LP FOODS. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on an action plan to improve the fishery, with the goal of it eventually becoming certifiable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
“We are pleased to be part of this FIP and would like to thank Netuno USA for their leadership in the formation of this new comprehensive fishery improvement project (FIP),” Mauricio Orellana, managing director of Artisan Catch, said. “This FIP is designed to foster sustainable octopus fishing in the Yucatan and the central aim of the FIP will be to establish long-term economic benefits for our small-scale fisherman and expediting access to global market interested in responsibly-sourced octopus. Our group is committed to the responsible management of the Mexican octopus fishery and this will ensure sustainable high-quality product for future generations.”
The decision came during the Global Octopus Supply Chain Roundtable, organized by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership at the 2019 Seafood Expo North America, which took place 17 to 19 March in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Mexico is the third-largest octopus producer worldwide, producing 39,000 metric tons in 2017.
