Shrimp, Pleoticus muelleri. (Photo: Stock File)

Shrimp producers seek to achieve MSC label

ARGENTINA
Friday, March 11, 2016, 21:40 (GMT + 9)

The main companies involved in off-shore red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) capture are participating in a new Fishing Improvement Project (FIP) of this fishery, aimed at obtaining MSC certification.

The announcement was made by the Centre for Development and Sustainable Fisheries (Cedepesca) within the framework of the exhibition Seafood Expo North America, held in Boston, United States.

The FIP was established following the conclusions of the pre-assessment performed by Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) carried out by the Spanish company Bureau Veritas, and then an action plan was designed to address its findings.

The most important companies operating in the offshore shrimp fishery are Argenova (Pescanova), Arbumasa (Amasua Group), Pesquera Santa Cruz, Pesquera Puerto Deseado, Frigorífico del Sudeste y Newsan, all of which are working together on the FIP.

Maritime Products International has been a leader in the FIP development, and suppliers such as iPrisco and Direct Source have also joined the effort. According to CeDePesca, others are expected to soon join FIP.

"In the FIP all the main players in this fishery are involved," said Ernesto Godelman, CeDePesca chairperson. "The offshore fleet (frozen on board) is responsible for 70 to 80 per cent of shrimp landings and FIP partners do most of it, so we are really confident that this support will be key to achieving the necessary reforms for this fishery to become certified by the MSC within a reasonable period".

There is one FIP for the coastal fleet already in existance, and some of the participating companies overlap the offshore fishery, as in the case of Conapresa, Pesquera Veraz, Iberpesca, Cabo Virgenes and Ristic AG.

The new project has the support of the Undersecretary of Fisheries of the Nation, Tomas Gerpe, and the Secretary of the province of Chubut in Argentina, Alberto Gilardino.

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