Argentine Fishery Seeks MSC Certification

It is the second South American fishery to officially seek MSC certification. If successful, this hoki fishery will be eligible to use the MSC ecolabel, which indicates fish from a sustainable and well-managed fishery.

The government management bodies overseeing the fishery are the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and Fisheries dependencies (sub-secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture), and the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP). The client group applying for MSC certification consists of five Argentine fishing companies which are responsible for more than 50 percent of the total Argentine hoki annual catch. The companies are Pespasa-Pesantar, Estremar, San Arawa, Yuken and Grupo Valastro.

Primary products produced from Argentine hoki are frozen fish, filet and surimi. Products are mostly exported to Japan, France, Germany, England and Spain.

Daniel Rivera, the representative of the client group, said, “We believe this is the right moment. The sustainable fishing conditions present a clear opportunity to achieve the final evaluation and certification of the hoki fishery, as well as support our commitment to continue expanding to other species.”

MSC Americas Regional Director Kerry Coughlin said, “We are pleased to welcome a second Argentine fishery into the assessment process for certification to the MSC standard. We are encouraged by the participation of South American fisheries like Argentinean hoki that are expanding the MSC program into new regions of the world, paving the way for more fisheries in the region to similarly demonstrate a commitment to sustainable fishing.”