The OSF Orkney brown crab creel fishery will undergo a full assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries standard over the next few months.
The decision has been welcomed by UK-owned Young’s Seafood as a major development in UK sustainable fishing. As part of its Fish for Life corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, Young’s have been an active participant in the Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), which was established to enable the brown crab fishery to work towards MSC certification.
David Parker, head of CSR for Young’s, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the hard work of the Orkney fishery has finally been recognised and rewarded. Young’s are incredibly grateful that the fishery’s commitment to sustainability will ensure that Orkney crab will be available both now and for the future.
“The decision to begin this rigorous assessment proves that The OSF Orkney brown crab creel fishery is an exemplar of sustainability and this is great news for UK fisheries as whole. We know that sustainability is important to our customers and we hope that this decision will encourage people to love fish now and for generations to come.”
If the fishery meets MSC standard during its assessment it could achieve MSC certification within the next year, paving the way for a new source of sustainable MSC crab in supermarkets this year.
Participants of the now completed FIP have been supporting the brown crab fishery to become more sustainable through a range of activities, including scientific research to understand the biology of the brown crab, advocating improvements to the fisheries management system and financial contributions. MSC has also provided expertise on the application of the MSC standard and use of FIP tools.
As well as Young’s, participants involved in the FIP include Orkney Sustainable Fisheries Ltd, Orkney Fishermen’s Society, Crown Estate, Orkney Islands Council, Marks & Spencer, Marine Scotland, and WWF.
