Fishery managers at a Panama small pelagics fishery are working on a series of improvement milestones to enable their processing plant to achieve full MarinTrust certification.
The fishery made history as the first accepted applicant for the MarinTrust Improver Programme scheme in 2015 which enables companies unable to meet the requirements for full certification to nevertheless come under the trust’s umbrella.
In 2011 non-profit organisation CeDePesca set up a fishery improvement programme (FIP) to help Latin American fisheries become sustainable. Progress made as a result of participating in this FIP gave the fishery confidence to apply for the MarinTrust IP.
According to Libby Woodhatch, executive chair of MarinTrust, the commitment made to improve the fishery is an excellent example of how a multi-stakeholder effort can promote positive change. Brian Murtagh, managing director of Animalfeeds which commercialised the fishmeal and fish oil produced by the fishery and coordinator of the improver programme said membership has brought positive changes including increased demand for the products and access to new markets.
"The standard sets out clean milestones for improvement that are achievable,” he said. “These efforts have stimulated a real change from the fishermen and helped the environment and the local communities.”
To achieve full certification the fishery now needs to address processes and protocols in the processing plant and issues related to the procurement of raw materials and their associated fisheries.
