The Southern Gulf of California thread herring (Opisthonema libertate, Opisthonema bulleri and Opisthonema medirastre) fishery has voluntarily entered the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) full assessment process.
If this fishery located in the Mexican territorial waters of the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit successfully achieves certification, products from the fishery would then be eligible to carry the MSC’s blue ecolabel.
We are pleased to see Mexico’s Southern Gulf of California thread herring fishery come forward for assessment against the world’s most recognized standard for sustainable fishing. With this additional Mexican fishery entering the program, the Mexican fishing industry is becoming a model for other fisheries in the region in demonstrating a commitment to effective collaboration with the aim of improving fishing practices and promoting sustainability, pointed out Brian Perkins, MSC’s Regional Director for the Americas.
The southern thread herring fishery fleet uses purse seine nets to fish for herring 10 months a year. The majority of the thread herring catch is used for reduction to fish meal/fish oil and is sold in more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, with China being the main market. The total catch in 2013 was 68,602 metric tons.
According to MSC’s press realease this fishery represents approximately 37 per cent of the total thread herring landings in Mexico and is governed by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), the National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (CONAPESCA) and the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA).
MSC informed that the client for this assessment, Maz Sardina S.A. de C.V., which has seven licensed vessels operating in the fishery, has selected SCS Global Services to perform the independent assessment and has indicated it is open to sharing the certificate with other interested fishers operating within the area of assessment.
For his part, Armando Coppel Azcona, General Director of Maz Sardina S.A. de C.V., remarked: In recent years, we have taken our products to many countries and different industries, and have found consumers are increasingly concerned about the origin and sustainability of the products they are buying. In order to ensure our product is traceable and sustainable, Maz Sardina decided to enter the thread herring fishery into the MSC assessment process.
Coppel Azcona added that in the Gulf of California there is already one certified fishery and another in the assessment process, and it is a source of pride for the entire Mexican fishing industry that we are making the effort to achieve this certification.
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