If Iceland Sustainable Fisheries (ISF) gets its wish, two Icelandic fisheries will be certified as sustainable and well-managed fisheries by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and will be eligible to carry the MSC ecolabel by the end of the year.
We see this is an very important step for the Icelandic seafood industry to be able to introduce more species from Iceland with MSC certification. Iceland Sustainable Fisheries will continue to work on getting more species caught in Iceland waters certified with MSC certification for the benefit of Iceland caught fish. It is an important step for buyers of seafood from Iceland to know that fish from Iceland is sustainable and well managed.
– Gunnlaugur Eiríksson, Managing Directior of ISF
The two species up for MSC assessment are the golden redfish (Sebastes marinus) and the saithe (aka pollock or ufsi) (Pollachius virens). The golden redfish fishery will be the first redfish fishery in the MSC program. The assessment for both species will be carried out by Reykjavík-based independent certifier Vottunarstofan Tún (V Tun). V Tun has been accredited for MSC since late 2010.
ISF was created in June 2012 as a means to give interested parties in Iceland access to MSC seafood certification after Icelandic Group was awarded MSC certification for its cod and haddock fisheries. Currently there are more than two dozen stakeholders involved with ISF. ISF applies for and manages MSC certification on behalf of those stakeholders.
The importance of the MSC certificate has a marketing significance first and foremost; in order to ensure the access of valuable fish products from cod and haddock into our main markets. The demand for certification of sustainable fishing is increasing and therefore it is a very important step for Icelandic fish products.
-Hans Ág. Einarsson, CEO of Icelandic Services
Good Catch Blog 
Pingback: Redfish – Underutilized and Under-Appreciated | The Good Catch