11/0/2006 - WWF welcomes
today’s announcement that the Australian mackerel
icefish fishery has been certified as sustainable
by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
The announcement of a new fish
to the growing list of MSC certified sustainable
seafoods is positive news at a time when many
Australian fisheries are under great pressure.
The Bureau of Rural Sciences’
(BRS) most recent Status of Fisheries report identified
that of 74 fish species reviewed, 17 were classed
as overfished, with another 40 species classed
as status uncertain.
Subsequently in December last
year, the Federal Government announced a package
of $220 million across a range of fisheries to
implement measures aimed at addressing the problem
of overfishing in Australia.
Australia’s problems with overfishing
are indicative of similar problems around the
world, with global fish stocks plummeting as the
number of fishing operators increase. In 2005,
the global fishing fleet was 2.5 times larger
than could be sustained by what the oceans produce.
“At a time when the world’s
fisheries are coming under increasing pressure
from overfishing, the icefish fishery is a leading
example of how fisheries can be sustainably managed,”
said WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.
The license to catch Australian
mackerel icefish, which is found in the freezing
waters of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica,
is currently held by two Australian fishing companies
- Austral Fisheries and Petuna Sealord.
Speaking in Perth today, Mr
Bourne said he was delighted that Austral Fisheries
and Petuna Sealord had shown leadership to pursue
MSC certification, providing a healthier future
for the mackerel icefish fishery.
“WWF is pleased to support members
of the fishing industry seeking to implement sustainable
practices,” Mr Bourne said.
Icefish will join the growing
number of fisheries across the world with the
MSC logo. By purchasing fish products with the
‘fish with a tick’ MSC logo, consumers are supporting
healthy, well-managed fisheries. The list of MSC
certified fisheries includes the Australian Western
Rock Lobster, NZ Hoki and Alaskan Salmon. A number
of other fisheries in the region are currently
progressing towards MSC certification.
WWF is urging consumers seek
out the MSC ‘fish with the tick’ when choosing
seafood.
For more information:
Charlie Stevens, WWF Press Office,
02 8202 1274, 0424 649 689
Lorraine Hitch, WWF Sustainable Fisheries Officer,
03 9669 1306, 0428 626 552
Notes to the editor:
*In 1996, WWF and Unilever,
one of the world's biggest buyers of frozen fish,
started the MSC initiative to change the way fish
are caught, marketed, and bought - and to help
ensure the future of the world's fisheries.
*Now an independent, non-profit
organisation, the Marine Stewardship Council works
with fisheries, retailers, and other stakeholders
to identify, certify, and promote responsible,
environmentally appropriate and economically viable
fishing practices around the world.
