Produce Listings
News
Shetland Shellfish Expected to Win First Accreditation for Sustainability
July 1, 2011Shetland fishermen who specialise in shellfish are expected to gain the sought-after approval of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for their good environmental practice. The fishery, which harvests lobster, scallops and brown and velvet crabs, is in the final stages of the MSC assessment. Although the fishery makes up a relatively small proportion of the Shetland catch, it finds a market throughout Europe. Annually, around 300 tonnes of velvet crabs - which is most of the catch - find their way to Spain.
More than a hundred Shetland fishermen take part in the fishery, working inshore in small boats. The certification, if granted, will be the first of its kind in the world. It's hoped that Shetland mussels, grown entirely naturally on ropes suspended in the sea, will also achieve accreditation within the next year or so.
The key to gaining MSC certification is sustainability; the stock must be managed to ensure its long-term survival and the fishing must be carried out in ways that are environmentally acceptable. The Shetland shellfish industry has taken steps to ensure both criteria are met. For example, they organise scallop dredging - which, uncontrolled, is a highly damaging practice - in such a way as to avoid sensitive areas and allow stocks to regenerate.
You can read more about the accreditation of Shetland shellfish in this article in the Guardian.
More than a hundred Shetland fishermen take part in the fishery, working inshore in small boats. The certification, if granted, will be the first of its kind in the world. It's hoped that Shetland mussels, grown entirely naturally on ropes suspended in the sea, will also achieve accreditation within the next year or so.
The key to gaining MSC certification is sustainability; the stock must be managed to ensure its long-term survival and the fishing must be carried out in ways that are environmentally acceptable. The Shetland shellfish industry has taken steps to ensure both criteria are met. For example, they organise scallop dredging - which, uncontrolled, is a highly damaging practice - in such a way as to avoid sensitive areas and allow stocks to regenerate.
You can read more about the accreditation of Shetland shellfish in this article in the Guardian.
