The Macquarie Island toothfish fishery (MITF) – operated by Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline - has gained Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.
This is the second Australian toothfish fishery to achieve MSC certification in recent times, with the Heard and McDonald Islands toothfish fishery also gaining certification in March this year.
Now, almost a third of the world’s legally harvested toothfish is certified sustainable by the MSC. In total the four MSC certified toothfish fisheries worldwide make up 31% of the global legal toothfish catch.
The MITF has demonstrated, through an independent assessment lead by experts from Scientific Certification Systems based in the US, the toothfish stocks being targeted are healthy, its fishing practices have minimal impact on the marine ecosystem and overall the fishery is well managed.
The fishery operates in waters of the Australian Fishing Zone around Macquarie Island, a small island situated about half way between Tasmania and Antarctica.
Management measures and conditions are extensive in the fishery to ensure sustainable stocks of toothfish, as well as minimal impact on the environment. Mandatory requirements include two full time observers on every trip, constant satellite monitoring of vessels, seabird bycatch mitigation measures, limits on the vessel numbers and seasonal restrictions to avoid interfering with seabird and marine mammal breeding times.
As part of the certification one condition was specified by the certifiers. This was to ensure conclusion of, and implement any recommendations from the multi-year research program being conducted by the Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO, Industry, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and AFMA, which involves the use of underwater cameras attached to fishing gear and aims to evaluate the impacts of fishing.
