Uncategorised

Mahi mahi and Australia’s first tuna steak to enter MSC certification program

International sustainable seafood certifier, The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) will be assessing mahi mahi and tuna steaks under its certification program, marking a world first, and Australian first respectively.  

Walker Seafoods Australia of the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery is seeking the MSC certification for its yellowfin tuna, albacore tuna, swordfish and mahi mahi.

“We’re very excited about entering the MSC certification program as we believe Australia leads the world in sustainable fishing," said Heidi Walker of Walker Seafoods. "Our boats will be the first in the southern hemisphere to undergo MSC assessment for yellowfin tuna and swordfish and the only company in the world to assess mahi mahi.”

In addition to Walker Seafoods, MG Kailis’ Exmouth Prawns will be the first fishery under the Western Australian Government’s $14.5m initiative to be assessed under MSC’s sustainability and environmental standard.

MSC country manager, Patrick Caleo said that the initiative will give commercial Western Australian fisheries the opportunity to be independently certified.

“…MG Kailis Exmouth Gulf Prawns (are) committing to go under assessment for MSC certification. This will take the number of Australian fisheries engaged in the MSC program to ten which include Australia’s two most commercially successful fisheries; Western Rock Lobster and Northern Prawns fishery,” Caleo.

There are now more than 300 fisheries worldwide that are engaged in the MSC program and over 22,000 products bearing the MSC blue ecolabel. In Australia more than 50% of the wild-caught prawns are MSC certified or under assessment.

“Demand for third-party verified sustainably caught seafood is growing and leading retailers and brands are responding. We have around 250 MSC labelled products on supermarket shelves in Australia,” said Caleo.

 

Send this to a friend