The Bangor Mussel Producers fishery has been certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
The North Menai Strait mussel fishery is an enhanced fishery where the two boats – Valente and Mare Gratia – use small dredges to catch young ‘seed’ mussels from the beds where they accumulate and then relay them on leased areas inside the Menai Strait where they thrive.
The mussels start off at an intertidal zone (that dries out on most tides) to develop thick shells that will protect them against predators.
Over the next 9-18 months, they are moved to progressively deeper waters that rarely get exposed by the tides until, eventually, they are moved to deeper water in denser colonies where they can feed constantly and build up their body mass into a fat, juicy mussel.
Once the mussels have reached a suitable size, the fishermen re-catch them and sell them to the market.
The fishery scored highly for its stock status with the certifier noting that the fishery had a negligible or potentially positive impact on mussel stocks.
Elin Jones, Welsh Assembly Government minister for rural affairs said the certification is global recognition of a sustainable and well managed fishery, which the Welsh Assembly Government has been supportive of in recent years, providing funding for harvesting operations and advice.
“The fishery is of huge importance to the local and Welsh economy, and its products are in demand and growing in reputation throughout Europe, as recognised by the fishery's recent True Taste Award for Welsh Export Achievement.
“I am sure certification will enable the fishery to go from strength to strength. Indeed my officials look forward to working closely with the Bangor Mussel Producers receiving their European Fisheries Fund bid for processing of mussels in North Wales, allowing greater access for the Welsh consumer to this fantastic product.”
James Wilson of Deepdock Ltd said: “We are all very proud, in the Menai Straits, to be the UK’s first enhanced fishery to achieve this benchmark certification. It reflects, very positively, on our long-term commitment to research and the very good working relationships that we have established with fishery managers and the statutory conservation agencies.”
Kim Mould of Myti Mussels Ltd added: “Our customers are increasingly demanding that we can supply certified sustainable products. The Marine Stewardship Council eco-label is the most widely recognised and established manifestation of this globally for marine fish and shellfish. We are very pleased and excited to be the UK’s first enhanced fishery to have passed muster.”
The fishery was sponsored through its assessment by The Co-operative’s £200,000 (€236,162/$313,450) Sustainable Fishing Fund that is sponsoring fisheries across the UK through MSC assessments.
Chris Shearlock, sustainability manager at The Co-operative, said: “As a responsible retailer, we want to ensure that our fish are sourced sustainably, and that is why we are funding UK fisheries through the MSC certification process.”
Toby Middleton, UK manager for the MSC added: “By funding fisheries like Bangor Mussel Producers through assessments, The Co-operative is taking direct responsibility for ensuring that fisheries are certified as sustainable and making a significant difference towards changing the global seafood market to a sustainable basis. I am sure that MSC certified Bangor mussels will prove hugely popular in their markets in The Netherlands and Belgium.”
