New Zealand’s southern scallop fishery, co-managed by the Challenger Scallop Enhancement Company and the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries has entered assessment under the Marine Stewardship Council standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
The southern or ‘challenger’ scallop fishery has always been important in satisfying the New Zealand market for scallops. However, in recent years much of the scallop catch has been exported to France.
The Challenger scallop fishery is seasonal, with fishing limited to a maximum of 25 weeks each year between 15tJuly and 14 February. The fishery has an enhancement programme where spat (young scallops) are collected from spat catching sites within the fishery area for reseeding within other areas of the fishery. This enhancement programme has been key to rebuilding the stock following the fishery’s closure in 1980 and 1981. As such, the fishery will be assessed under the MSC’s guidelines for enhanced fisheries.
Mitch Campbell adds: “We have a lot to showcase in the New Zealand seafood industry and maintaining sustainable fisheries for the benefit of all users (extractive and non-extractive) is something we dedicate considerable effort to. Independent third-party verification of our fishery will provide a catalyst for industry to improve current practices to better reflect the desires of our consumers. This will be a positive for our environment, harvesters, suppliers and future generations.”
