Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly is encouraging Western Australians to tuck into some of our local sustainably caught seafood this week to support Sustainable Seafood Week and thousands of WA fisheries workers.
From today (March 12) until Sunday, March 18, WA will be joining the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to celebrate Australia’s first ever Sustainable Seafood Week. The week is set to end on a high with the annual Mandurah Crab Fest this weekend, which this year turns 20.
The Marine Stewardship Council is also marking its 20th anniversary as a not-for-profit organisation that helps keep our oceans healthy and the world’s wild fisheries sustainable.
WA’s very own West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery became the world’s first fishery to be certified by MSC in March 2000, and just last year it was certified for the fourth time.
Since 2000, WA has achieved MSC certification for WA rock lobster, Exmouth Gulf prawn trawl, Shark Bay prawn trawl, Peel Harvey Estuary blue swimmer crab and sea mullet, Australian west coast deep sea crab, the West Coast Silver lipped pearl fishery and wild-caught abalone.
More details on Sustainable Seafood Week are available at http://www.msc.org/foreverwild