Pescafria-Pesquera Rodríguez has become the first Spanish and the first EU Barents Sea cod fishery to be awarded for sustainability under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Programme.

Its northeast Arctic cod is marketed under the Pescafria brand – mainly frozen cod fillets destined for the UK market. Although a small proportion is sold to the Spanish market as salted cod and cod roe.

Pescafria currently holds 27.50% of the Spanish cod quota, which translates into approximately 4000 tonnes – the largest quota nationally.

The MSC made comment that: “Pescafria has always been known for its efforts in technological innovation, respect for the environment and constant attention to product quality. The company’s philosophy is based on respect for the environment and responsible management of fish species.

This announcement follows the news that the first Spanish retailer, El Corte Ingles, also achieved MSC certification last month.

It is hoped that Pescafria’s MSC certification will bring new commercial opportunities for the company and be an effective tool for long-term fishery management nationally – the MSC hope that many more Spanish fisheries will now follow suit and gain certification.

Mercator Media Ltd 2012