The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recognises the Lakes and Coorong Fishery in South Australia as a sustainable fishery.
The Lakes and Coorong Fishery in South Australia is the 28th fishery globally to achieve certification to the Marine Stewardship Council standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. Certification was awarded by independent certification body, Scientific Certification Systems following scrutiny of all aspects of the fishery’s operation.
The Lakes and Coorong Fishery operates in the lakes and beaches of the Coorong region, at the entrance to the Murray River in South Australia. Many of the fishers operating in the fishery are members of the Southern Fishermens Association, the applicant for certification.
Four species have been certified as meeting the MSC Standard — golden perch (callop), pipis (Goolwa cockles), mulloway and yellow eye mullet. These species serve domestic markets in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, with a growing export market for pipis.
The addition of the Coorong Fishery to the MSC’s list of sustainable fisheries is of national and global interest. A commercial fishery in operation for 154 years, the Coorong Fishery is based in a National Park that includes a Ramsar wetland. With a hands-on approach to fishing, the Coorong Fishery uses manually-operated gear to reduce by-catch. The Lakes and Coorong fishers have a close relationship with the ecosystem, seeing it as their duty to responsibly manage, maintain and even enhance the environmental integrity of the Coorong region on behalf of the community.
The Lakes and Coorong Fishery’s decision to pursue certification was in response to a growing expectation from the Coorong community for sustainable fisheries.
President of the Southern Fishermen’s Association, Garry Hera-Singh said, “Pursuing Marine Stewardship Council Certification was part of the Southern Fishermen’s Association’s commitment to its objectives of economical, ecological and social responsibility. To underpin the sustainability of the fishery by an independent third party was vital to demonstrate to the people of South Australia that the fishers of the Lakes and Coorong Fishery are responsible stewards of the resource. We believe that MSC certification is the way of the future for commercial fisheries of Australia.”
