GOLDEN REDFISH FISHERY GAINS CERTIFICATION

On the 1st of May, international certification was awarded for the Icelandic Golden Redfish (Sebastes marinus / Sebastes norvegicus) fishery, attesting to the fact that the Icelandic Golden Redfish fishery complies with the principles for responsible fisheries management.The certification of the Golden Redfish, which is based on the strictest international criteria under the Iceland Responsible Fisheries Programme (IRF), is now one of four in the programme, as Icelandic cod, haddock and saithe fisheries have previously gained certification.

HB Grandi’s marketing manager Brynjólfur Eyjólfsson commented that this is a positive and significant step forward.

‘It’s important that the Golden Redfish fishery has now been certificated. Consumers and seafood buyers alike increasingly demand for the products they purchase to be responsibly caught and the certification bears witness to Iceland’s strong position in the responsible utilisation of fish stocks."

As is stated on the Iceland Responsible Fisheries website (https://www.responsiblefisheries.is/), an independent certification committee of Global Trust/SAI Global met and awarded certification to the Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Management Programme. The certification and the assessment process have been managed in accordance with the FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries. This is a third-party certification process, which sets the strictest emphasis for impartiality. Global Trust/SAI Global is an independent certification specialist and has been accredited by international certification bodies to carry out assessments of this kind. The harvest control rule has been confirmed by ICES in accordance with the precautionary approach to fisheries management.