Photo Credit; Matt De Turck // Story Excerpt By Palmira Boutillier
Read The Complete Story // The Halifax Media Co-Op
The Atlantic longline swordfish fishery may be certified as sustainable, despite excessive bycatch of endangered species; The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) and David Suzuki Foundation along with 33 other conservation groups oppose the sustainable eco-label that is being recommended for the Atlantic Canadian swordfish longline fishery.
They have sent a letter opposing the certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which sets standards and labels certified sustainable seafood, and to Moody Marine, the third party certifier of MSC fisheries.
The letter from the conservation groups, dated April 10th, states that “This will be the first surface longline fleet in the world to receive MSC certification. Globally, this gear type is associated with excessive mortality of sea turtles, sea birds and sharks in our oceans. Given that this Canadian fishery has exceptionally high bycatch of these species and does not have even the minimal international best practices in place, this precedent-setting certification is deeply concerning.”
In a press release from April 11th Shannon Arnold, the marine coordinator with the EAC, stated that “There is growing consumer awareness and demand for sustainable seafood, but when fisheries that clearly have an impact on vulnerable species are deemed sustainable, one wonders what these certifications actually mean.”
The issue lies with the gear. Pelagic longlines can consist of up to 1,500 baited hooks. The lines can stretch for 60 kilometres and float near the top of the water for hours before being hauled in. They catch much more than just swordfish. The letter states, “for a catch of approximately 20 000 swordfish each year, roughly 100 000 sharks are caught. Very few are kept, and an estimated 35 000 die.”
The fishery catches endangered, threatened and protected species (ETP), including endangered loggerhead and leatherback turtles, endangered porbeagle sharks, threatened short fin mako sharks. The main catch is blue sharks which are considered to be special concern. These conservation listings are from the Canadian government’s “Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada” (COSEWIC).
The MSC principles and criteria for sustainable fishing states that “the fishery is conducted in a manner that does not threaten biological diversity at the genetic, species or population levels and avoids or minimises mortality of, or injuries to endangered, threatened or protected species.”
The conservation groups do not feel this criteria is being met. “Shark species are not assessed under MSC’s ETP criteria. Unfortunately, even for the endangered sea turtle species scored under the ETP criteria, the assessment falls short.”
Pelagic long lining was introduced in the 1960′s. Prior to this, swordfish and tuna were caught primarily by hook and line and harpoon fisheries. Now, only 10% of Atlantic Canadian Swordfish quota is caught by harpoon. Harpoon fishing is more sustainable in that bycatch (catching species that you don’t want) does not occur. In other words, they only catch swordfish and no sharks or turtles.
The Atlantic Canadian Harpoon Swordfishery was MSC certified as sustainable in June of 2010. Now, it’s the longline fisheries’ turn.
The MSC certification process, started in March of 2009 for the Atlantic Canadian swordfish longline fishery, is due to be completed by the end of May. If it gets certified, then both a small scale, no bycatch fishing method, and a large scale, high bycatch fishing method for the same species (Swordfish) will have the same sustainability certification.