Blue whiting fishery could lose sustainability certification

The blue whiting fishery is expected to lose its sustainability certification next month because coastal states have not reached an agreement, Faroese broadcaster KVF reports. European fishmeal and fish oil producers are working to establish a new certification to maintain the fishery’s sustainability status.

The current Fisheries Improvement Programme certification, known as FIP, expires in October. The programme covers initiatives in which several stakeholders work together to make a fishery sustainable.

The blue whiting fishery has been covered by the FIP certification for the past four to five years. Once it expires, certification bodies will return to the usual criteria when assessing whether the fishery qualifies as sustainable.

Those criteria include following recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and reaching agreement among the coastal states.

KVF also interviewed Odd Eliasen, chief executive of Havsbrún, who has just completed his term as chairman of the European association for fishmeal and fish oil producers.