The players in swordfish longline fishing, supported by Aripa (Interprofessional association of fishing and aquaculture), were granted international MSC certification in November. Marine Stewardship Council certification guarantees consumers fish of wild origin, responsibly harvested from sustainably managed stock, according to the latest and most demanding international standards. “This label is an opportunity for us to meet the needs of customers who seek exclusively to obtain fish from sustainable fishing”, specifies Hubert Chenédé, export director at Réunipêche. Reunion longline fishing is represented by a fleet of intermediate-sized vessels, including that of the Réunimer group and its subsidiary Enez (14 vessels from 11 to 25 m). Enez, for example, implements a selective fishing technique : the hooks and baits used make it possible to target specimens that have already reached sexual maturity. Selective fishing helps guarantee the future of the fishing industry by ensuring the renewal of marine resources, thus perpetuating professional fishing activities on the island, while sparing threatened and protected species.
The swordfish fishery certified “sustainable fishing”
