Fishery improvement projects

Argentina Red Shrimp on-shore FIP – ARGENTINA

In short

Implementation of a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) with the objective of obtaining MSC certification for the on-shore fishery in the province of Chubut, Argentina, in collaboration with the CeDePesca (Centro Desarrollo y Pesca Sustentable), a nonprofit organization that helps Latin American fisheries attain sustainability.

Project description

The pre-assessment ordered by our company Ristic GmbH in 2015 led to the creation of a Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP), with all partners, CeDePesca and the government involved in order to address the weaknesses that were identified.

Objectives of the FIP:

  • To design and implement an Onboard Observers Program for the coastal fleet to gather data on bycatch
  • To conduct an Ecological Risk Assessment for the effects of fishing to serve as input to the management system and a full MSC assessment.
  • To promote the development of a minimum coordination protocol for fishery research and management among the different jurisdictions involved in the fishery’s administration
  • To raise awareness among the crew and involve crew members in research activities related to the FIP
  • To promote the regular assessment of the efficacy of the fishery’s management system
Region

The fishery addressed by the on-shore FIP comprises a fleet of coastal vessels of length less than 21m. The vessels use bottom-trawl nets along the coastal waters of the province of Chubut, in the south of Argentina, mainly in the Restricted Fishing Effort Zone between Punta León and Cabo Dos Bahías (see fishery location map above). This coastal fleet has Rawson Port as its landing point and it conducts daily fishing trips from October to March.

Progress

During a stakeholder and press information meeting at the SEG in Brussels, CedePesca highlighted the progress and achievements in the fishery improvement projects.  Important is the federal and Chubut province government’s commitment to implementing a fishery management plan, including a harvest strategy. This will enable the fishery to enter MSC assessment end of 2018.

For more detail on the achievements, please consult the CeDePesca website.

Argentina Red Shrimp FIP presentation

For all progress and current status updates, please consult

Argentina Red Shrimp off-shore FIP – ARGENTINA

In short

Implementation of a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) with the objective of obtaining MSC certification for the off-shore fishery in the regional waters of Argentina, in collaboration with the CeDePesca (Centro Desarrollo y Pesca Sustentable), a nonprofit organization that helps Latin American fisheries attain sustainability.

Project description

End 2015 the FIP partners decided to implement a fishery improvement plan based on the recommendations from the MSC pre-assessment conducted by independent certifier Bureau Veritas:

  • Integrate available databases at the federal and provincial levels
  • Increase data transparency
  • Integrate the information obtained by different onboard observer programs
  • Incorporate the ecosystem approach to fisheries management
  • Improve compliance with the rules on using devices with grids to release fish bycatch species
Region

The off-shore fishery takes place in the San Jorge Gulf in the south of Argentina (provinces of Chubut and Santa Cruz), the Chubut provincial waters up to Rawson and national waters between 42° and 47°S. The fleet consists of vessels with a length of > 21m.

Progress

During a stakeholder and press information meeting at the SEG in Brussels,  CedePesca highlighted the progress and achievements in the fishery improvement projects.  Important is the federal and Chubut province government’s commitment to implementing a fishery management plan, including a harvest strategy. This will enable the fishery to enter MSC assessment end of 2018.For more detail on the achievements, please consult the CeDePesca website.

Argentina Red Shrimp FIP presentation

For all progress and current status updates, please consult

Tropical shrimp fishery improvement project – INDIA

Aldi Süd

In short

Setting up a fishery improvement project for a specific shrimp fishery in India, by making use of the MSC framework.

Project description

This project is a sub-project of a 3 year sustainability project for which German retailer ALDI Süd and DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft) contracted Ristic GmbH. The total project will be managed and implemented by Shore and coordinated by Bluesensus sustainability consultant Udo Censkowsky. In addition to the FIP, the project includes mangrove restoration projects in Costa Rica and India, mangrove-shrimp farming and a social project in Costa Rica.

Partners in this project are:

ALDI Süd

KFW DEG

Alcom Exim

Project coordinator

bluesenus, consulting for sustainability and seafood

Region

The fish area for this FIP will be Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, India.

Progress

The Flower Shrimp fishery in India was selected, with the support the regional processors.

Meeting Stakeholder - India

The project idea was presented to Indian stakeholders

  • First introduction visit in July 2017
  • First stakeholder meeting May 2018
  • Creation of a Flower shrimp working group August 2018

The project is linked with the sustainable fisheries initiative of CMFRI, WWF India and MSC.

An independent pre-assessment based on the MSC template has been concluded by Dr. Paul Medley.

An action plan is to defined with clear milestones to improve information, observer program (obtain catch profile), code of conduct for the fleet, review stock assessment, harvest strategy, ETP species management, habitat & ecosystem…

The pre-assessement report and action plan will be uploaded on the www.fisheryprogress.org website.