MSC Certified Yellowtail Founder In UK

This international certification enables OCI, who already supply major UK supermarkets and food service companies with premium quality Canadian seafood, to introduce a new sustainable fish to the Great British menu.

Canadian yellowtail flounder is a versatile white flatfish that is relatively unknown in this part of the world. It is an odourless fish, similar to plaice and Lemon sole, with a sweet, delicate flavour. It is lean and flaky with a firm texture and is best cooked with wine, sauces or other liquids to prevent the meat drying out. Nutritionally, it is a good, low-fat source of vitamin B and an excellent source of niacin.

Bernard Leger, Vice President for Sales and Marketing in Europe and Asia of OCI, said: “Achieving MSC accreditation for yellowtail flounder confirms it is time to introduce this sweet, delicately flavoured fish to the UK market. We want to build on the initial interest expressed by UK retailers and food service companies.”

OCI maintain high environmental standards. Fish is frozen at sea within 90 minutes of catch, ensuring freshness and locked-in flavour. The company handles the whole journey of the fish, from ship to shore and plant to plate. OCI is vertically integrated and owns its own vessels, processing plants and sales offices.

Blaine Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer, continued: “This certification demonstrates our commitment to delivering the very best from world-class sustainable fisheries. Our flounder fishery is harvested by our own fishing fleet which allows us to implement sustainable practices throughout the chain and deliver consistent high quality flounder to our customers. As our marketing team takes this product to customers around the world, the respected MSC ecolabel provides assurance that our fishery is well managed and sustainable, factors that are extremely important to consumers.

“Our customers care about the state of our fisheries. With our Northern shrimp and Atlantic scallop fisheries already MSC certified, the addition of yellowtail flounder takes us to almost 50% of our raw material base MSC certified and closer to our objective of having 100% of our fisheries certified. Our future is tied to the sea and by taking a lead role in fisheries management we ensure our future success.”