The Danish mussel fishery was found to be sustainable by a team of independent experts. (Photo: VMI/MSC)
Danish mussels score MSC certification
DENMARK
Monday, January 18, 2010, 15:30 (GMT + 9)
Denmark's Limfjord mussels -- harvested by Vilsund Muslinge Industri (VMI) -- will be the first mussels in the world to carry the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel as a sustainable and well-managed fishery.
VMI currently catches approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of mussels annually. Twenty-seven fishing vessels land their catch at the VMI A/S factories in Nykøbing Mors and Aggersund, which have also been assessed and certified for traceability.
The mussels are sold ready-shelled, cooked and frozen, or as whole live mussels to markets all over Europe.
Søren T. Mattesen, managing director of VMI said: "Mussel fisheries have been successfully operating in the Limfjord for over a century. If we want mussel fishing to continue to provide a living for fishers and processors for the next century and beyond, we have to make sustainability our highest priority. The MSC certificate demonstrates that we have successfully done that, and recognises the efforts made by VMI fishers to preserve stocks of blue mussels in the Limfjord."
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Mussels on a processing line. (Photo: Vilsund Muslinge Industri) |
"At a time when the Danish mussel industry faces heavy competition from inexpensive imported mussels from Chile, MSC certification will improve sales of our mussels to conscientious consumers in all markets where we operate," Mattesen added.
The company has been working towards MSC certification for more than two years. A team of independent experts assembled by the certification body Moody Marine has assessed the comprehensive documentation submitted by the company. The report on the fishery was submitted to public review by all interested parties.
An initial objection was lodged with Moody Marine by the Danish Society for Nature Conservation in September 2009 but was withdrawn in December.
Camiel Derichs, MSC Manager Northern Europe for MSC explained: "An increasing number of Danish fisheries are engaged in the MSC programme. This is evidence of Danish fisheries' commitment to demonstrating their sustainability through independent, science-based, third party assessment against MSC standards [...] Vilsund has signed up to conditions for the certification which require them to further research the impacts of the fishery on the Limfjord habitats. Compliance with conditions will be audited every year.
"I want to congratulate Vilsund for being the first mussel fishery in the world to obtain MSC certification, and I will be on the lookout for the first fresh MSC certified mussels on the retail shelves in the months to come!"
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