The North Atlantic fishery for spiny dogfish has expanded on the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification it received just last year, now covering the offshore areas of five states.
The fishery, which first got the MSC certification in August 2012, has now expanded to include remaining offshore areas of Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. This means that the fishery’s products may now all carry the MSC label as sustainable.
“The credible and transparent MSC certification process confirms to our buyers that the rigorous requirements to become sustainably certified have been met or exceeded for this entire fishery,” said John Whiteside Jr., speaking for the Sustainable Fisheries Association, representing the fishery.
Kerry Coughlin, MSC regional director for the Americas, said, “The expansion of the U.S. east coast North Atlantic fishery for spiny dogfish to include the full region from Maine to North Carolina speaks to the strength of the fishery and commitment to provide markets with MSC certified seafood. We welcome the addition of harvests from the waters of the five states to the original certification as the fishery has demonstrated that it is sustainable and well-managed in the entire region.”
The fishery has employed sustainable fishing practices that have boosted the annual yield from 3,300 metric tons (MT) in 2009 to a 2012-2013 quota of 16,101 MT.
