A third of Danish North Sea plaice wins MSC ecolabel
The DFPO North Sea Plaice fishery was today certified sustainable against the Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC) environmental standard for sustainable and well managed
fisheries. Around 2500 metric tonnes, roughly a third of the Danish North Sea plaice quota,
will now be eligible to display the blue MSC ecolabel in the market place. Consumers can
now make a positive choice to buy Danish plaice that comes from a certified sustainable
source.
About the DFPO Danish North Sea Plaice fishery
The certified plaice fishery comprises close to 300 vessels using Danish seine and set
nets to catch plaice in the North Sea. The fishery originally entered three different gear
types for MSC assessment but the trawler component of this fishery is still in process and
is being examined by an Independent Adjudicator (IA) following an objection raised by
stakeholders.
…proud of the fish and proud of the label…
“In Denmark, as in many other European countries, plaice is one of those fishes that every
child knows. It has been on our dinner tables for hundreds of years and we will do all we
can to make it stay there in the future”, says DFPO president Kurt Madsen. “Plaice has
also been the bread and butter of the Danish North Sea fisheries for as long as any
fisherman can remember and it still is for the majority of vessels - large and small alike,”
he adds. “Having our plaice fishery certified to the MSC standard for sustainable fisheries
is therefore at once an obvious step in a long history of plaice fishing (and plaice eating!) –
and a new venture in precisely documenting our environmental impact to our discerning
consumers. All said, we are proud of the fish, and proud of the label it may now carry.”
Strong demand
Minna Epps, Manager for the Baltic Region says: “There is a strong demand for high
quality, sustainable plaice from the North Sea. I am therefore extremely pleased to see the
DFPO North Sea Plaice fishery achieving certification and place itself in a strong position
to meet that demand and at the same time safeguard supply for the future”.
About the DFPO
The client for this certification is the Danish Fishermen's Producers Organisation (DFPO).
The DFPO represents around 1100 commercial fishing vessels from ports all over
Denmark. The primary goal of the DFPO is to secure the right balance between supply
and demand for the seafood its members land, through assuring and improving the quality,
availability and market conditions of the products.
For more information: www.danish-msc-fisheries.dk