Icelandic Cod & Haddock Awarded MSC Certification

The Icelandic Group Companies which in the UK are Seachill, Coldwater and Icelandic UK will now be able to supply cod and haddock from Iceland with the sustainable fisheries ecolabel of the MSC. All gear types have been included trawled, line caught and seine net enabling cod and haddock to be bought fresh or frozen in retail, wholesale or food service.

Icelandic Group is now taking a leadership role and is exploring making the certification an inclusive process for the Icelandic fishing industry through certificate sharing mechanisms. Following the certification, all cod and haddock from Iceland fisheries a total allowed catch of 160,000 tonnes of cod and 50,000 tonnes of haddock per year will be eligible to bear the blue MSC ecolabel.

Lrus sgeirsson, CEO of Icelandic Group, said: Were delighted to receive MSC certification, following an extremely rigorous process involving peer reviews within the public consultation process. Iceland has a long and proud history of supplying high quality fish, and now with the independent certification of the Marine Stewardship Council, it can be sold as sustainable.

Lrus sgeirsson continues: The decision to undergo MSC certification for Iceland cod and haddock was market driven and is a clear sign to our customers that we are committed to the highest levels of sustainability possible. This is an outstanding result for Icelandic Group as a whole and for our companies.

Rupert Howes, Chief Executive, MSC, said: It is a great pleasure to congratulate Icelandic Group on the historic MSC certification of their cod and haddock fisheries. These fisheries enjoy a strong reputation for sustainability and I am delighted that Icelandic Group chose MSC certification to demonstrate that sustainability to the market.

There is now a clear business case for MSC certification and this is particularly true in the Northern Europe markets where Icelandic cod and haddock are sold. Icelandic Groups commitment to MSC certification clearly aligns their brands with the highest standards of demonstrable sustainability those markets are asking for.