Aussie certified scallops

Its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which followed a 12-month assessment of the fishery against the standard, verifies that the fishery is harvesting from scallop populations that are healthy and productive; a balancing act between how many scallops are caught and how many are left to breed for another season.

It also shows that the fishery is working to minimise its impact on the marine environment, and that it has strong management systems in place.

Bass Strait scallops are caught out of the Commonwealth managed fishery, the largest scallop fishery by area in the Bass Strait.

“By having the MSC blue fish tick, the Bass Strait Scallop Industry Association demonstrates that their harvesting of the resource supports good fisheries management practices, which helps to ensure fish-stocks and habitats are healthy, and fishing community livelihoods are secure well into the future,” Renee Pearce, Executive Officer of the Bass Strait Scallop Industry Association, said.

Popular Bass Strait scallops, with the majority of the catch landed in Lakes Entrance, Victoria, have a distinctive vibrant orange roe and are a classic on Australian menus.

“Scallops are a staple on dinner plates, especially in the southern states, some arguing it’s not a real scallop unless it has the orange roe,” said Pearce, “and you can’t go past a seaside bakery without stopping in for a scallop pie, it’s a tradition we are lucky to have. They are tasty and sustainable.”

The Bass Strait (Central Zone) Scallop season started on 12 July 2022 and will extend until 31 December, with a 4,000 tonne catch allocated.

Matt Watson, MSC Senior Fisheries Manager, Asia-Pacific, congratulated the Bass Strait Scallop Industry Association for achieving certification.

“The Bass Strait scallop fishery is really significant addition to the MSC programme, as it is such an important source of fresh Aussie scallops for chefs, restaurants, fishmongers and seafood lovers. It’s great to see their strong commitment to sustainable fishing,” he said.

The Commonwealth Government managed scallop fishery operates in the Bass Strait above Tasmania and extends from the Victoria/New South Wales border, around southern Australia to the Victoria/South Australia border. It lies between the Victorian and Tasmanian scallop fisheries.