Posted on 16 September
2010
Halifax, Canada: An apparent recovery in
cod numbers on the Grand Banks off Canada
may signal an eventual return of what was
once one of the world’s major fisheries,
but securing recovery
will require significant commitments at
the September 20-24 meeting of the Northwest
Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO).
While the nearly 70
per cent increase in fish numbers and increase
in the proportion of spawning fish since
the last assessment in 2007 is yet another
encouraging reflection of the impact of
a 16 year moratorium on catching Grand Banks
cod, WWF experts are cautioning that recovery
is still far from inevitable.
Failure to address bycatch
will prevent cod recovery
Overall stock numbers
are still near historic lows, and scientific
projections from the latest stock assessments
clearly demonstrate that continued failure
to control excessive bycatch will prevent
cod recovery in the foreseeable future.
“These new signs of
recovery present a real opportunity,” said
Dr. Robert Rangeley, Vice President of WWF-Canada,
Atlantic Region.
“Management tools that
include targets, limit reference points
and harvest control rules to rebuild stocks
are already being used with success in national
waters. NAFO needs to act on the commitments
they have already made by using these same
types of tools to allow further stock growth.”
However, NAFO itself
has something of a mixed record in discharging
its responsibilities. Its 2007 rebuilding
strategy for Grand Banks cod included voluntary
bycatch reduction target which were exceeded
by 119 percent in 2008 and 162 percent in
2009. Despite the failures, no new measures
were implemented by NAFO at the 2009 Annual
Meeting
In re-opening the Flemish
Cap cod fishery after it reached rebuilding
targets after a 10 year moratorium, NAFO
also set total allowable catch (TAC) limits
of 5500 tonnes, some 33 percent higher than
the 4126 tonne precautionary level recommended
by its own scientific advisory council.
“If the science isn't
enough to spur action, we hope economics
will be,” Dr. Rangeley said.
Pressure from retailers
for sustainable seafood could help
“With increasing numbers
of retailers pledging to source only sustainable
seafood, many are dropping depleted stocks
from their seafood supply in favor of those
that meet the criteria for well managed
fisheries.
NAFO should ensure that the precautionary
approach is applied to all fish stocks in
the NRA, and that priority habitats are
protected, so that its fisheries can meet
new seafood standards and remain globally
competitive."
In addition to cod rebuilding
measures, WWF will also be calling on NAFO
to strengthen its commitment to protect
vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) at this
meeting.
Protected habitats set
to expire in December 2010
In recent years, NAFO
has taken several important steps to protecting
vulnerable habitats, and last year closed
11 additional areas to bottom fishing activities.
However, current closures that include the
Orphan Knoll and a number of seamounts will
expire in December.
At next week’s annual
meeting, NAFO should designate the Orphan
Knoll and seamounts as VMEs, and close these
and other vulnerable areas to deep-sea fisheries
until impact assessments have been completed
and management measures are in place to
prevent significant adverse impacts.
The environment and
the economy will benefit from smart management
“All of the scientific
data and seafood market trends are pointing
to one conclusive message”, said Dr. Bettina
Saier, Oceans Director, WWF-Canada.
“NAFO must act now to
secure the fragile recovery of Grand Banks
cod and other fish populations, and to protect
vulnerable habitats. This will yield considerable
long term ecological and economic benefits.”
+ More
Aquaculture Stewardship
Council appoints independent accreditation
agency
Posted on 17 September
2010
Utrecht, Netherlands - The Aquaculture Stewardship
Council (ASC) took another key step towards
becoming fully operational this week with
the appointment of an independent accreditation
agency to accredit and oversee certifiers
of aquaculture businesses seeking recognition
under emerging “gold standard” sustainability
standards.
The appointed agency,
Accreditation Services International (ASI)
has a long record of working with the now
well recognized Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) and the Marine Stewardship Council
(MSC).
“The appointment of
ASI as our independent accreditation body
marks an important milestone in our development,”
said Philip Smith, CEO of the ASC.
“We are pleased that
we can start working on the implementation
of the Global Standards for Responsible
Aquaculture in close cooperation with ASI.
“We are now in a position
to set up an independent third-party verification
scheme and work with producers and certification
bodies to develop robust processes for certification
against the standards.”
The ASC was founded
in 2009 by WWF and IDH (Dutch Sustainable
Trade Initiative) to manage and implement
the international standards for environmentally
and socially responsible aquaculture developed
by the Aquaculture Dialogues , which have
since 2004 been bringing together a wide
range of scientists, NGOs and the full range
of industry interests from farmers to retailers.
The standards, when
implemented on a farm level, will help minimise
the key environmental and social impacts
associated with aquaculture.
Three sets of Global
Standards for Responsible Aquaculture have
been completed by the Aquaculture Dialogues
so far: for tilapia, pangasius and bivalves
(clams, mussels, oysters and scallops).
Standards for six other aquaculture species
(abalone, freshwater trout, salmon, shrimp,
Seriola and cobia) are expected to be finalised
towards the end of 2010 or early 2011.
Currently the ASC is
in its development phase. It is expected
to be fully operational by mid-2011, when
first certifications will be realised and
a consumer-facing label will be launched.
“By including independent
third-party accreditation as an oversight
process the ASC is demonstrating the maximum
credibility and effectiveness of the ASC
verification system,” said Sam Ponder, ASI
Managing Director.
“Accreditation endorses
certification bodies’ competence, credibility,
independence and integrity in carrying out
their conformity assessment activities.
One of the important outcomes of the implementation
of standards by applicants for certification
is that they assist in creating a benchmarking
culture with the ultimate benefit of continuous
improvement.”
The ASC will be inviting
certification bodies to contact ASI to discuss
how to become accredited.
In accordance with an agreement between
WWF and GlobalGAP, a training programme
for certification bodies focused on the
tilapia standards has already started and
field testing of the tilapia standards will
shortly commence. The ASC will be building
on experiences from these processes to develop
the independent ASC verification scheme
which will be overseen by ASI.
