Recfishwest and the Mandurah Licensed Fisherman’s Association (MLFA) have united to become the world’s first MSC certified combined recreational and commercial fishery.
Their objective was to secure certification to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing for the Peel Harvey blue swimmer crab and mullet fishery.
The certification was conducted by an independent, expert assessment team assembled by SCS Global Services, an ASI-accredited certification body.
“Achieving MSC certification requires a holistic approach to fisheries management. We’ve seen tremendous leadership by the Peel Harvey stakeholders working together to keep the fishery sustainable and thriving,” said, Patrick Caleo, regional director of MSC Asia Pacific.
Mullet from the fishery will be the first finfish caught in West Australian water to carry the blue MSC label, this aims to open up new opportunities in WA for chefs and restaurants that wish to serve certified sustainable and local seafood.
The Peel Harvey Estuarine Fishery now joins the 285 MSC certified fisheries globally, landing 10% of all wild caught seafood and is the eleventh certified fishery in Australia.
Damien Bell, commercial fisher and President of MLFA, concluded: “For Peel Harvey, MSC certification goes beyond market recognition. For the commercial fishers of the MLFA, MSC has helped in providing social recognition that we are operating sustainably and are fully accountable for our impact on stocks and the wider marine environment.”
“To us, that is essential for our long term access to the fishery and good news for the public for whom we harvest fresh, local and now proven sustainable seafood.”
