(August 10, 2018) On August 7, 2018, The Bahamas’ spiny lobster fishery became the first Caribbean fishery to earn certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the leading global standard for wild-caught seafood environmental performance. Beaver Street Fisheries (BSF) and its subsidiary, Tropic Seafood Ltd., are proud and honored to have played a role in this initiative, in order to achieve this accomplishment for the fishery.
Over the past decade, Tropic Seafood has participated in the collaborative efforts to lead this major fishery improvement project (FIP) in the Bahamas. Tropic Seafood Ltd. has worked collaboratively with Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA), the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) of the Bahamas, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to address fishing practices and environmental impacts to help the lobster fishery thrive for generations to come.
“The goal of our fishery improvement projects is to ensure the long term sustainability of a fishery and to reach the Marine Stewardship Council standard. The Marine Stewardship Council is one of the most rigorous certification standards out there for well managed and responsible seafood,” said Wendy Goyert, a spokesperson for the World Wildlife Fund.
“We are so proud of the achievement of MSC Certification for the spiny lobster fishery,” said Ben Frisch, managing director of Tropic Seafood, Nassau, Bahamas. “It’s truly been an honor being a part of this combined effort by everyone committed to sustainable fishing practices for the betterment of the Caribbean, its resources, and its people.”
With the certification, Bahamian lobster tails are now eligible to carry the MSC blue fish label, recognized by many consumers as a mark of products sourced with higher environmental standards.
“When a consumer is in a store and they see the Marine Stewardship Council certification on a Bahamas lobster they should know that that lobster and the industry that they’re supporting is a sustainable one,” said Natalie Miaoulis, a spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy, Nassau, Bahamas.
A leader in the seafood industry with an ongoing, company-wide commitment to quality, excellent food safety programs and environmental stewardship, Beaver Street Fisheries™ is certified with standard-setting organizations for aquaculture seafood: Global Food Safety Initiatives, the Aquaculture Certification Council, the Marine Stewardship Council and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.
