The certification ensures that products from either MSC sustainable fisheries or ASC-accredited farms are fully traceable.
Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries, joined Will Mure for the certification announcement in Hobart, Tasmania on 13 March 2020
Director Will Mure said Mures Tasmania was only the second restaurant in Australia, and the only independent retailer in Tasmania, to be certified under the two standards.“The certification applies through our wholesale division, Mures Fishing, and into our retail and restaurant businesses, Mures Upper Deck, Mures Lower Deck and Pearl + Co,” he said.
“We have always strived to source seafood from well managed, sustainable fisheries, and this certification will allow us to actively promote the MSC and ASC product that we source and sell through our various businesses.”
The certification covers:
• MSC certified Australian prawns.
• MSC certified Patagonian toothfish from Australian Longline.
• MSC certified blue grenadier/hoki.
• ASC certified Tassal salmon.
• ASC certified Hiramasa yellow tail kingfish from Clean Seas.
Mr Mure said it was his hope that the range of product available with either MSC or ASC certification would increase in the future.
“In Australia it can be hard for consumers to access certified product,” he said.
“It is our aim to be a destination for seafood that is certified sustainable.
“With this in mind, consumers can make informed decisions on which product they wish to purchase, be it fresh fish from our fishmonger or when they dine in one of our restaurants.”
Duncan Leadbitter from the ASC and Anne Gabriel from the MSC said through independent certification of its sustainable seafood offering, Mures Tasmania was showing real leadership in the restaurant and retail sector.
“The celebration marks a highly commendable landmark in Tasmania by Mures in ensuring our oceans remain resilient with a future full of fish,” they said.
Mr Mure said he was proud of Mures Tasmania’s sustainability credentials, and particularly these latest achievements.
“It is a fantastic achievement with a significant amount of work completed with the MSC and ASC to get to today’s important announcement,” he said.
Mr Mure said Mures Tasmania’s various teams had worked extremely hard over the usually busy summer period to ensure the certification was in place, appropriately in time for Sustainable Seafood Week.
To achieve the accreditation, Mures Tasmania participated in a comprehensive assessment process - the standards are independently audited by third party certification bodies, in this case MRAG Asia Pacific.
ASC is considered the highest global standard for responsibly farmed seafood.
The blue fish MSC label is only applied to wild fish or seafood from fisheries certified to the MSC standard, a scientific measure of sustainable fishing.
The ASC and the MSC share a vision that global seafood supplies should be sustainable, responsibly managed and supported by secure supply chains.
View the Mures announcement, starting at 10:40.
Recipe by Markella Koutalidi – Executive Chef, Mures Tasmania
Find Markella Koutalidi's forever salmon and prawn paella in the recipe section of our website.