The Chilean mussel (Mytilus chilensis) fishery and suspended culture has been certified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard for sustainable, well-managed fisheries following an independent assessment conducted by IMOswiss AG (IMO), formerly the Institute for Marketecology. Mussels from this fishery are now eligible to carry the blue MSC ecolabel.
The fishery is located in Region X of Los Lagos in the South East Pacific Ocean in FAO Statistical area 87. This is an enhanced fishery and seed mussels are harvested by suspended substrates. Seed mussel collection takes place in the area of Reloncaví, Puerto Montt and grow-out operations are conducted in the Province of Chiloé. Wild caught seeds from the coastal sea of Chile within Region X are used.
This is the first Chilean fishery to obtain this certification. The client group for the fishery is Toralla S.A. and Cultivos Toralla S.A.
The characteristics of the Chilean mussel fishery and suspended culture meet the scope criteria for enhanced fisheries in the MSC Certification Requirements. The Chilean mussel fishery relies upon mussel seed collection from the wild environment which is native to the concerned area. Neither feeding nor disease prevention takes place. Lastly, the habitat modifications are reversible and do not cause serious or irreversible harm to the natural ecosystem’s structure and function.
While there is no Total Allowable Catch (TAC) currently established, the catch was 12,000 tonnes in 2011 and 11,000 tonnes in 2012. Spain is the largest commercial market for the harvest, followed by the rest of Europe and the United States. Mussels from this fishery are harvested mainly between October and July.
We have become pioneers, because we are the first Chilean company to obtain this certification, demonstrating our commitment and preoccupation to do things well, caring for our ecosystem and nature,” said Sergio Leiro Oubiña, Toralla S.A. and Cultivos S.A. Toralla CEO.
Kerry Coughlin, regional director for MSC Americas, added: As the first fishery in Chile to become certified, the client group Toralla S.A. and Cultivos Toralla S.A. are serving as a role model for fisheries throughout Latin America on the value of MSC certification for conveying sustainable practices to domestic and global markets.
During the assessment, the three principles of the MSC standard were evaluated in detail: the status of the fish stock, the impact of the fishery on the marine ecosystem and the management system overseeing the fishery.
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