Icelandic EEZ Golden Redfish fishery certified

Icelandic EEZ Golden Redfish fishery certified

2 May 2014

 

Icelandic EEZ Golden Redfish fishery gains certification to the Icelandic FAO Based Responsible Fisheries Management Certification Programme

On the 1st of May 2014, an independent certification committee of Global Trust/SAI Global met and awarded certification to the Icelandic EEZ Golden Redfish (Sebastes norvegicus (syn. Sebastes marinus)) fisheries to the Icelandic FAO Based Responsible Fisheries Management Programme. The certification is based on the Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Management Specification, a document that translates the FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries, including the operational criteria of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Management.  The assessment was in accordance with the third party, ISO65 accredited system of Global Trust/SAI Global Certification and provides a credible and independent certification of responsible fisheries management.

The assessment included a thorough review of the Icelandic fisheries management system including; the management rules, ITQ system, specific supporting measures for Golden Redfish, a review of the fishery data collection system and stock assessment (ICES sub-areas V, VI, XII and XIV).  The assessment concluded that the management system and recent HCR adopted a precautionary approach, allowing for responsible harvesting and careful treatment of the ecosystem.

Dave Garforth, Seafood Business Manager of Global Trust/SAI Global said that the assessment was very extensive, including two site visit occasions, a five member assessment team and two peer reviewers in order to fully evaluate the credentials of the Iceland management system for Golden Redfish. It includes the evaluation of the recent Fishery Management Plan concluded at the beginning of this year which incorporates the newly adopted Harvest Control Rule and precautionary exploitation rate.  Certification demonstrates that the fishery is managed in a responsible manner according to internationally recognised criteria and is a testament to the continued development of Icelandic fisheries with Golden Redfish now one of four (cod, haddock, saithe) certified Icelandic fisheries.  Dave added that ‘We are delighted to provide our certification services to the Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation and wish to congratulate their fishers and supply chain partners, and the management and science institutions in Iceland on their successful certification of this important fishery’.

The final certification report will be posted on the IRF website (www.ResponsibleFisheries.is) shortly.

For further information, contact:  Finnur Gardarsson, Project manager IRF Foundation, mobile +354 896 2400,  finnur@fiskifelag.is ) or Gudny Karadottir, Marketing manager of the IRF programme, mobile +354 693 3233, gudny@islandsstofa.is.