A major fishery in Greenland has become the territory’s first to receive backing from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). According to a report published by Fishnewseu.com, the West Greenland cold-water prawn trawl fishery is now among fisheries on the MSC’s list of properly managed and sustainable facilities. The certification process was conducted by independent UK-based firm Intertek Moody Marine, according to the report.
The West Greenland fishery operates a fleet of 28 vessels, which trawl the waters extending from the Upernavik in Greenland’s northern region to Qaqortoq near its southern cape.
With the approval, seafood products from the firm can now display the MSC’s blue eco-label, which provides consumers with affirmation that the product has come from an approved and sustainable source.
West Greenland is the first fishery in Greenland to bear the label. Last year the firm saw a total allowable catch of some 105,000 tonnes, with more than 97,000 tonnes allocated to Greenland-based vessels. This year, the allowable catch has been set at 90,000 tonnes in total with 83,863 tonnes to go to the firm’s Greenland operations. The majority of raw prawns produced by West Greenland are exported to Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, whilst its cooked prawn products are largely sold to buyers in the UK and elsewhere in the EU, according to the Fishnewseu report.