Hake sector MSC survey scheduled for January

Otis Finck - The hake fishery will undergo its second annual Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) survey in January 2023.“Having certification is not a nice-to-have but a requirement to do business for the hake industry. Loosing certification would be disastrous to the industry and potentially result in major job losses,” cautioned the chairman of the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (CNFA), Matti Amukwa.He gave the assurance that the industry and the ministry of fisheries and marine resources (MFMR) are working hard to ensure that Namibia comply with MSC requirements. “We will meet the commitments made to MSC for year two of our five-year certification period and look forward to the audit with confidence. Our hake processing plants produce high quality retail products for a higher paying price, but also an environmentally conscious European market which is looking for products from sustainable fisheries.”Amukwa further said that achieving certification has allowed Namibian companies to enter better paying markets which were previously closed, while at the same time forming prices in countries such as Spain and Portugal.Sustainable fishing means leaving enough fish in the ocean, respecting habitats and ensuring people who depend on fishing can maintain their livelihoods. The MSC therefor encourages responsible fishing management and sustainable fishing practices to protect the future of fishing communities, preserve ocean ecosystems, and ensure seafood is available to everyone, always.Assessments are conducted by accredited independent certifiers - Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). There are 28 performance indicators under the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard. The fishery of a country is assigned a score for each performance indicator, where 60 is the minimum acceptable performance, 80 is global best practice and 100 is near perfect performance.To become certified, a fishery must score at least 60 for each of the 28 performance indicators and an average score of 80 across all performance indicators under each of the three principles. If a fishery scores between 60 and 79 for any performance indicator, you will be required to take appropriate action as a condition of certification. This action needs to improve the performance of a fishery so that it scores 80 or above for that indicator. The time frame to make these improvements is typically five years or less.Once certified, a fishery joins a collective of over 300 engaged fisheries, supplying the world with over 25 000 sustainable seafood products.

Hake sector MSC survey scheduled for January

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Hake sector MSC survey scheduled for January

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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