Red swimming crab. (Photo: Ocean Outcomes)
First comprehensive crab improvement project launched
CHINA
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 02:50 (GMT + 9)
International organisation Ocean Outcomes has signed a memorandum of understanding with the NFI Red Crab Council, China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) intended to launch and implement a Red Swimming Crab Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) in China.
Ocean Outcomes China Program Director Songlin Wang welcomed the efforts and expressed joy to see dedicated industry leaders, fishing communities, and foundations come together to help them address the sustainability challenges of the red swimming crab (Portunus haanii) fisheries.
“This MoU links up a shared vision of sustainability from both ends of the red swimming crab supply chain,” said CAPPMA President Dr. He Cui.
In his view, their collective action will help secure the future of the fishery and a more prosperous China-US seafood trade, which effects thousands of Chinese fishers, processors, and US consumers.
For his part, NFI President John Connelly pointed out that extensive time and research went into planning this complex Fisheries Improvement Project.
“The NFI Red Crab Council grew out of the most successful pre-competitive crab sustainability collaboration to date, in the original NFI Crab Council,” Connelly said.
The founding members of the NFI Red Crab Council include Asian Pacific Seafood, Bumble Bee Seafoods, Carrington Foods, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods, Newport International, Stavis Seafoods, Supreme Crab & Seafood, and Twin Tails Seafood Corporation.
A first-ever MSC pre-assessment of the Chinese Red Swimming Crab fishery was completed in 2013, with a second finished in 2015. The NFI Red Crab Council, CAPPMA, and Ocean Outcomes began planning FIP efforts based on the results of these pre-assessments after collaborating on a stakeholder workshop in Dongshan, Fujian Province in 2016.
While project development has been underway for years, the FIP is set to officially launch in early August.
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