Rock lobster. (Photo Credit: Department of Fisheries Western Australia)
AUSTRALIAFriday, April 24, 2015, 23:10 (GMT + 9)
Western Australia's rock lobster fishery has been recognised for leading the world in sustainability certification.
The fishery was the very first in the world to be certified as ecologically sustainable by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and this week in Brussels the fishery received an award for 15 years of continuous certification.
“This is an outstanding achievement for our lobster industry which, more than 15 years ago, had the foresight to realise that third party fisheries certification would play a vital role in the global seafood trade,” Fisheries Minister Ken Baston said.
“Our premium quality Western rock lobster, fished from pristine waters off our coast, was the first seafood product in the world certified to meet the rigorous MSC standard," Baston added.
“We led the world in adopting the MSC’s chain of custody certification system which allows seafood consumers to see if the fish they buy comes from ecologically sustainable, well-managed fisheries,” the minister pointed out.
Minister Baston also said that today fisheries certified by the programme catch 8.8 million tonnes of seafood per year, accounting for close to 10 per cent of the total global wild-capture production.
The award marking the 15 years of certification was presented to the industry and the WA Department of Fisheries at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, the world’s largest seafood trade event.
The Minister remarked the State Government’s AUD 14.5 million (USD 11.2 million) certification fund established in 2012 had led to almost all of WA’s commercial fisheries being pre-assessed under the MSC standard and several were currently undergoing full assessment.
“I congratulate everyone in our lobster industry; the Western Rock Lobster Council, commercial fishers, processors and exporters, as well as our scientists and fisheries managers in the Department of Fisheries who have worked closely to ensure our certification is maintained,” he said.
The fishery was the very first in the world to be certified as ecologically sustainable by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and this week in Brussels the fishery received an award for 15 years of continuous certification.
“This is an outstanding achievement for our lobster industry which, more than 15 years ago, had the foresight to realise that third party fisheries certification would play a vital role in the global seafood trade,” Fisheries Minister Ken Baston said.
“Our premium quality Western rock lobster, fished from pristine waters off our coast, was the first seafood product in the world certified to meet the rigorous MSC standard," Baston added.
“We led the world in adopting the MSC’s chain of custody certification system which allows seafood consumers to see if the fish they buy comes from ecologically sustainable, well-managed fisheries,” the minister pointed out.
Minister Baston also said that today fisheries certified by the programme catch 8.8 million tonnes of seafood per year, accounting for close to 10 per cent of the total global wild-capture production.
The award marking the 15 years of certification was presented to the industry and the WA Department of Fisheries at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, the world’s largest seafood trade event.
The Minister remarked the State Government’s AUD 14.5 million (USD 11.2 million) certification fund established in 2012 had led to almost all of WA’s commercial fisheries being pre-assessed under the MSC standard and several were currently undergoing full assessment.
“I congratulate everyone in our lobster industry; the Western Rock Lobster Council, commercial fishers, processors and exporters, as well as our scientists and fisheries managers in the Department of Fisheries who have worked closely to ensure our certification is maintained,” he said.