SCS Awards Marine Stewardship Council Certification to Australian Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery

EMERYVILLE, Calif., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Macquarie Island Patagonian Toothfish fishery, operated by Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline, has earned the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable fisheries based on an assessment conducted by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).  The fishery is located in Australian territorial waters around Macquarie Island, located in the Southern Ocean, approximately halfway between Australia and Antarctica.

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This is the third MSC certified fishery for Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline, having already earned certification for their Toothfish fishery and Mackerel Icefish fishery around Australian Heard Island and McDonald Island. SCS has carried out the MSC assessment for all three fisheries.

"We applaud Austral Fisheries and Australia Longline for their continued commitment to sustainable fishing practices," said Dr. Robert J. Hrubes, Senior Vice President of SCS. "Each new fishery certified under the MSC standard sets an important example."

The fishery entered the assessment process in May 2011. The assessment team examined the sustainability of the fish stock, the environmental impact of the fishing activities and the management and governance systems in place at the fishery. Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline have continued improving their environmental practices since the assessment, resulting in further reductions in seabird bycatch from longlines, protection from illegal fishing, and detailed mapping of key sea floor habitats and support of protected areas.

"The certification of the Macquarie Island fishery demonstrates the importance of the cooperative efforts from industry, conservation groups, national governments in combating illegal fishing for Patagonian Toothfish in Australian waters," said Dr. Sabine Daume, Sustainable Seafood Certification Manager at SCS.

Patagonian Toothfish, also known as Chilean Sea Bass, from the Macquarie Island fishery may now bear the MSC ecolabel, signifying their origin from a sustainable source.

Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has been a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing and standards development for more than 25 years. SCS programs span a wide cross-section of sectors, recognizing exemplary performance in natural resource management, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, retailing and more. SCS is a Certified B Corporation™, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. www.scscertified.com

Contact
Nick Kordesch
+1.510.452.8035
[email protected]

SOURCE Scientific Certification Systems

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