Photo: Jan-Erik Indrestrand, Fiskarlaget.

Norwegian snow crab is environmentally MSC-certified

NORWAY
Tuesday, April 09, 2024, 03:00 (GMT + 9)

The Norwegian catch for snow crab is now certified according to the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) globally recognized standard for sustainable fishing.

In a press release from MSC on Monday, it is informed that Norwegian-caught snow crab can now be labeled with the MSC label. Fiskebåt took this up already in 2022, and asked for aletter to the Norwegian Seafood Council, the Fishermen's Association and the sales teams, that work on certification should be started.

The crab catch has now been certified by the accredited and independent certification company Global Trust Certification Ltd., which has assessed the fishery against MSC's criteria relating to stock situation, ecosystem impact and management practices.

The stock is currently in good condition and the fishery operates within a well-established management regime.

The responsible client is the Norwegian Fishermen's Association, which implements the project in collaboration with the sales teams and the Norwegian Seafood Council.

The catch uses only fishing pots as gear,. Around 10,000 tonnes of MSC-certified Norwegian snow crab will now be available for domestic consumption and for the global export markets.

-Sees good development opportunities

Gisli Gislason, program director for the North Atlantic in MSC, believes that the certification is of great importance.

"This is Norway's first MSC-certified crab catch. The most important export markets for snow crab are the USA and Asia. In these markets where there is an ever-increasing demand for sustainable seafood, the MSC certification of the Norwegian snow crab will hopefully contribute to even better market access. We welcome the snow crab and congratulate the Fishermen's Association and the entire Norwegian fishing and seafood industry."

Synne Guldbrandsen, marketing manager at Norway's Raw Fish Association, is also positive about today's news:

"We are very satisfied with the positive outcome of the certification process, and satisfied that the snow crab can now use MSC's logo for sustainable fishing."

As mentioned, the Norwegian Fishermen's Association is the responsible client in Norway, and it is senior advisor Tor Bjørklund Larsen who works with certification issues on behalf of all Norwegian actors.

"MSC certifications take a long time, but then there are also very thorough processes. It is very nice to now be able to welcome the snow crab among Norwegian MSC-certified fisheries".

Today's news has also been well received from Japan. Kozo Ishii, Program Director of MSC in Japan says:

"I would like to congratulate the fisheries, the governing bodies, and all the stakeholders who have been involved in this certification process for their efforts and commitment to sustainability. Snow crab is one of the most popular types of seafood in Japan, and Norway is one of the largest suppliers of snow crab to Japan. As the demand for MSC certified seafood is increasing in Japan, I believe that this magnificent achievement will generate a lot of interest from the Japanese market".

Source: Fikebat (translated from original in Norwegian)

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