Cape Town - South Africa’s multi-billion-rand hake trawl industry has been given the stamp of approval by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - which means thousands of jobs in the industry will be secure for the next five years and the lucrative EU export markets will not be lost.
The MSC certification was renewed for another five years last week, after a rigorous 12-month assessment by this independent body to see whether the industry was managed sustainably and responsibly.
Johann Augustyn, secretary of the SA Deep Sea Trawling Association (Sadstia), said the MSC certification was important both for the industry and the country.
“Recent economic studies have shown that securing the health of the deep-sea fishery has prevented the loss of up to 12 000 jobs in the fishing industry, while the growing demand, particularly in northern Europe, for certified sustainable seafood products has resulted in the expansion of export markets worth R2.24 billion,” Augustyn said.
To get certification, the MSC scrutinises the industry to ensure there is no over-fishing or depletion of fish stocks; that fishing operations do not have a negative impact on the health of the marine ecosystem; and that fishing is managed and regulated responsibly.
The MSC requires that independent observers are on board hake trawlers to ensure vessels comply with the regulations.
This is the third five-year period that the local hake industry has been certified, after some nail-biting in recent years because of problems with the aging fisheries’ research vessel, the Africana. The Africana carries out research cruises to establish the number of hake in the sea, a crucial part in establishing both local quotas and for obtaining MSC certification.
The Africana was transferred to the SA Navy in 2012 by former fisheries minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson. When the navy was unable to get the research vessel to sea, the industry stepped in an lent the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) a vessel to do the necessary surveys.
DAFF is still using an industry vessel.
Tim Reddell, chairman of Sadstia and director of Viking Fishing, said on Sunday his company has lent DAFF one of its vessels to carry out the crucial hake survey on the west and south coasts while the Africana has been out of action. He said repairs to the Africana were almost complete.
“They’ve spent a lot of money on the Africana, and it’ll be good for another five to 10 years. I don’t know if South Africa can afford a new vessel. We as an industry found a good second-hand one. They are talking about R1bn for a new vessel,” Reddell said
Reddell welcomed the renewed MSC certification and said while the southern European markets, such as Spain and Portugal, were not concerned about imported hake having MSC certification, the northern European markets insisted on it.
“Germany and France want confirmation that the fish they supply to their customers is sustainably caught. It is becoming more and more important to have MSC certification. South Africa was the first country to get certification in 2004, and this is the third time that has been renewed. Back then buyers would look at MSC certification right at the end of looking at tenders, but now that is the first thing they ask: ‘Are you certified?’,” Reddell said.
Cape Times