The North Menai Strait mussel fishery has entered Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) assessment. If successful, mussels from the fishery will be eligible to bear the blue MSC eco-label marking them as a sustainable and well-managed fishery.
The North Menai Strait mussel fishery is the first fishery to enter assessment against the independent standard under the new guidelines for assessing Enhanced Fisheries. Vessels from the Bangor Mussel Producers Association dredge young mussels (Mytilus edulis) from ephemeral beds in the Irish Sea under a special license - they re-lay the seed mussels on sheltered beds to produce more successful harvests. The Association also sells some of the seed mussels on to other fisheries.
Kim Mould, Director of Myti Mussels explains: “Around 90% of our catch goes into the Dutch market and our Dutch customers – the retailers – want MSC certification from next year. Getting MSC certified will give us a marketing edge.”
The assessment will be carried out by independent certifier McAllister Elliot and Partners (MEP).
