Austral Fisheries is committed to legal, sustainable and productive fisheries (Photo: Austral Fisheries/FIS)

Australian Toothfish Fishery Certified Sustainable

Austral Fisheries is one of Australia’s leading commercial fishing companies, specializing in producing Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) and Mackerel Icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari), as well as wild ocean caught prawns for the world markets.

Austral Fisheries’ vessels operate in two fishing zones of Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories. These are Macquarie Island to the south-east of Tasmania, and Heard Island, which lies south-west of Western Australia.

Austral Fisheries is entitled to catch Patagonian toothfish around Macquarie Island and have been working in this fishery since 1994

The Macquarie Island toothfish fishery (MITF) has recently gained MSC certification as a sustainable and well managed fishery, following independent assessment against the MSC standard.

This is the second Australian toothfish fishery to achieve MSC certification in recent times, with the Heard and McDonald Islands toothfish fishery also gaining certification in March this year.

Now, almost a third of the world’s legally harvested toothfish is certified sustainable by the MSC. In total, there are four MSC certified toothfish fisheries worldwide, making up 31 percent of the global legal toothfish catch.

The MITF has demonstrated the toothfish stocks are healthy, its fishing practices have minimal impact on the marine ecosystem and the fishery is well managed

Patrick Caleo, MSC Manager (Australia and New Zealand), congratulated Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline, the two companies operating within the fishery on achieving certification.

“Both Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline should be commended for their proactive approach in seeking independent, third-party certification of their sustainability. Increasingly here and overseas, the public are looking for assurances that the seafood they are sourcing is sustainable, and both companies have shown courage in opening up their practices to such a transparent, independent and rigorous assessment,” said Caleo.

Patagonian Toothfish is caught via three methods by Austral Fisheries - these are trawl, longline and traps

David Carter, CEO of Austral Fisheries, operator of the fishery, said: “Both Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline are committed to legal, sustainable and productive fisheries. We’ve come a long way from the days of battling against illegal fishing to save stocks. We’ve also introduced new methods of fishing to protect seabirds, marine mammals, and the sensitive environment we fish in.”

Dermot O’Gorman, CEO of WWF-Australia also welcomed the certification and commended the fishery’s proactive environmental measures.

The independent assessment was completed in less than 12 months including public consultations, with three experts led by Scientific Certification Systems based in the United States

“Sustainable and responsible management of fisheries is an essential step in safeguarding the stunning marine life and ecosystems that surround our country. The certification of the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery is another example of what can be achieved when industry and NGOs work together to make us better environmental stewards of our planet.”

“Through the management regime adopted by the fishery, we can ensure that this ecosystem along with the unique species it supports can be maintained for generations to come,” O’Gorman added.

About Austral Fisheries

Austral Fisheries is one of Australia’s leading commercial fishing companies, specializing in producing MSC certified Patagonian Toothfish and Mackerel Icefish, as well as wild ocean caught prawns for the world markets.

Austral Fisheries own and operate 10 refrigerated prawn trawlers operating in the Northern Prawn Fishery. In the Southern Ocean and southern Indian Ocean, Austral own and operate Australia’s largest fishing vessel, the Southern Champion, and the longline/trapping vessel, the Austral Leader II.

The longline/trapping vessel, the Austral Leader II

Austral Fisheries formerly owned and managed the Austral Leader, which played a key role in the pioneering and development of Australia’s sub-Antarctic fisheries of Macquarie and Heard & McDonald Islands. The Southern Champion and Austral Leader II have now taken on this role as the Austral Leader was retired from fishing in April 2005.

Austral Fisheries lists Kailis Fisheries Holdings and Pescanova SA as its affiliates, a relationship which combines local knowledge with an international network of expertise. This results in a company committed to quality, both in its products and the delivery of these products to anywhere in the world.

Source: Austral Fisheries

Margaret E.L. Stacey
Editor Companies and Products
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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