The Ria de Pontevedra razor clam fishery and the Ria de Arosa clam and cockle fishery have announced today that they will enter full assessment under the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) certification and eco-labeling programme for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. They are the first artisanal Spanish fisheries to undergo a full scientific assessment for MSC certification, and the first fisheries operating on Spanish waters to enter the MSC program.
Galician fishers have taken a leading role in seeking a third party certification. Stock conservation and sustainable fishing are at the very heart of their operations. The razor clam fishery and the Ria de Arosa fishery conducted a pre-assessment for certification to the MSC standard in 2008. Now, financial support from the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation has made it possible for the fisheries to enter full assessment, and build upon the positive findings of their pre-assessments.
Razor clams captured by divers
The client will be the Fishermen’s Association Cofradia de Bueu comprising 15 shell-fishers and 11 vessels, with an annual catch of 35 tonnes.
Razor clams (Ensis arcuatus) are hand-collected by diving in the Ria de Pontevedra. The Ria is divided into seven extraction beds, which are rotated periodically according to stock status, to maintain the fishery resource at sustainable levels.
The clam harvest is highly valued, both at local markets and throughout Spain, and always sold as fresh fish. Competition from foreign razor clams obtained by other gear is on the increase and the Galician fishers find that the price of their product has experienced declines of more than 30-40 per cent. With MSC certification, the fishery aims to add value to their products by differentiating their catch from razor clams originating from other fisheries.
Regional and national demand for artisanal clams and cockles
The Ria de Arosa Cooperative catches three clam species (Ruditapes decussatus, Venerupis pullastra, Ruditapes phillippinarum) and cockles (Cerastodema edule). More than 400 Cooperative members capture the shellfish, working on foot and from small boats. Clams and cockles are classified on the beach with special attention to minimum legal sizes.
The Cooperative produces 15 tonnes per year, distributed through regional and national markets.
Improving access to certification for data-limited fisheries
The certification assessment team will be using the Risk-Based Framework. This methodology allows data-limited fisheries to be assessed against the MSC standard and, if successful, secure access to the market benefits of certification enjoyed by larger, data-rich fisheries. The RBF methodologies demand a higher degree of precaution than the assessments using the standard MSC methodology, to offset the relative shortage of quantitative data.
Galician clam fishers commit to sustainability
Jose Manuel Agulla Piñeiro, member of the Cofradia de Bueu, said: “The future of fishermen depends upon the sustainable management of marine resources. This is the only way to assure our future and that of the generations that come after us. Divers who collect razor clams at Ria de Pontevedra are confident that the MSC certification program will allow us to have a better knowledge of our fishery and reinforce our commitment to sustainable fishing. Moreover we expect that the MSC certification will be a tool to improve the management and trade of our products and we hope that other razor clam shell-fishers’ associations will join the certification in the near future”.
Juan José Dieste Rodríguez, President of Cooperativa de Arosa: “Galician artisanal fleets must take a strong stand on sustainability. Our Cooperative has worked to this end since we were founded, and sustainable fisheries management is of a piece the aims of our organisation. We consider MSC to be the best means of enhancing the sustainability of our fishery, and achieving a stronger market position. We also expect that the local foodservice sector will join this project as we see the MSC ecolabel as a great assurance for consumers”.
MSC helps small-scale fisheries in global marketplace
Laura Rodriguez, MSC Manager for Spain and Portugal commented: “I am pleased to welcome the first small scale Spanish fisheries into our programme. I very much hope that their decision to move forward into full assessment will encourage other Spanish fisheries to consider entering into the assessment process. We know that one of the challenges for artisanal fisheries is differentiation of their product in a global market. If certified, and able to use the MSC ecolabel, the fisheries would be pioneers in their sector. I wish them every success."
An independent third-party certification process
An independent certification body, Bureau Veritas will convene a team of scientific experts who will examine the status of the fish stock, the impact of the fishery’s operations on the wider marine environment and the effectiveness of the fishery management system. The independent assessment is expected to take 12 months. Stakeholders are invited to participate in the assessment process and can contact Bureau Veritas via the MSC website (www.msc.org)
Further information
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