A hake fishery has become the first fishery outside of Alaska to be certified to the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) sustainable fishery standard.
The Pacific Whiting (Hake) Mid-Water Trawl fishery covers US federal EEZ waters off Washington, Oregon and California and is part of the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative (PWCC) which comprises three companies operating ten catcher-processor vessels.
“The Certified Seafood Collaborative, owners of the RFM program, are delighted to welcome Pacific Whiting as the first fishery outside of Alaska to be RFM certified,” said Mark Fina, chair of CSC Board.
“We’re proud to see the continued extension of RFM’s reach and we believe RFM certification will be a welcome addition to the PWCC markets now and in the future.”
PWCC president, Mike Luchino, said that the certification was a validating achievement. “Collaborative efforts from all those involved in the management system, including NGOs, scientists and fishing organisations are critical to the successful responsible management of Pacific Whiting,” he said.
The certification means that the fishery will be able to use a range of logos endorsing its sustainability without having to pay licensing fees. “We are very pleased to show the world that we’ve joined other world-class RFM certified fisheries in helping our customers demonstrate proof of certified sustainable sourcing,” said Daniel Waldeck, PWCC executive director.
