Spanish association of cod fishing ship owners, Agarba, has been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its Barents Sea cod fishing operations.
The certification was awarded after a participative process begun in June 2012 which was then opened up for public consultation.
Following assessment, stocks were found to be healthy and the fishery well managed with minimal impact on the marine ecosystem.
Iván López, Agarba chairman, said: “MSC certification may open the door to new business opportunities and consolidate our presence in markets where we are already present, including the UK, but mainly in Spain and Portugal where the MSC label is becoming increasingly visible.”
He added that in a sector under constant scrutiny from all parties, Agarba is not afraid to submit to third-party sustainability appraisals in which its stakeholders participate.
The only method Agarba uses is trawling, which doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to being environmentally-friendly, but Mr López points out that this new certification demonstrates the process is in “no way incompatible" with sustainability.
Agarba holds 66% of total cod quotas in NAFO and the Barents Sea. In 2013, the four vessels operating in the certified unit had catches totalling 12,000 tonnes.
The association is a member of the Vigo Ship Owners Cooperative (Cooperativa de Armadores de Vigo - ARVI) and is, in turn, made up of Velaspex SL, a family business with a wealth of experience in the sector, and Pesquera Áncora SLU, a UK fisheries group company based in the Port of Vigo.
