The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) and David Suzuki Foundation along with 33 other conservation groups oppose the sustainable eco-label that is being recommended for the Atlantic Canadian swordfish longline fishery.
They have sent a letter opposing the certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which sets standards and labels certified sustainable seafood, and to Moody Marine, the third party certifier of MSC fisheries.
The letter from the conservation groups, dated April 10th, states that “This will be the first surface longline fleet in the world to receive MSC certification. Globally, this gear type is associated with excessive mortality of sea turtles, sea birds and sharks in our oceans. Given that this Canadian fishery has exceptionally high bycatch of these species and does not have even the minimal international best practices in place, this precedent-setting certification is deeply concerning.”
In a press release from April 11th Shannon Arnold, the marine coordinator with the EAC, stated that “There is growing consumer awareness and demand for sustainable seafood, but when fisheries that clearly have an impact on vulnerable species are deemed sustainable, one wonders what these certifications actually mean.”
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