The Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye (pickerel) fisheries have become the fourth and largest commercial freshwater fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification, and the first in the Great Lakes to become certified.
The fisheries will provide a significant volume of MSC certified lake fish to markets in the US, Canada and globally – the now certified vessels caught 3,176 metric tonnes of yellow perch and 2,132 metric tonnes of walleye in 2014.
“Our fisheries have a long, rich history, and operating them sustainably is about ensuring our local industry can stay productive and competitive for this and future generations,” said Tim Tiessen, President of the Ontario Commercial Fisheries' Association (OCFA). “Sustainability is the hallmark of our industry so MSC certification is excellent news for the Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye commercial fisheries. The companies buying our fish are looking for ways to prove to their customers that it is responsibly sourced, and the MSC certification allows us to do just that.”
Lake Erie is the economic backbone of many local communities founded on and supported by the industry. As the most important species harvested, yellow perch and walleye contribute heavily to the area’s 1,490 fishing and processing jobs, provided by independently-owned small and medium sized businesses.
The MSC fishery certificate, initiated and owned by the OCFA, applies to yellow perch landed in Ontario, Canada and in Ohio, United States, and walleye landed in Canadian waters. The Lake Erie fishery is managed cooperatively by Canada and the United States through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC).
In addition to the fishery certification, two Ontario-based supply chain processors, La Nassa Foods and Presteve Foods Ltd, have also achieved MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification allowing them to purchase and sell Lake Erie yellow perch and walleye as MSC certified.
