Clients & Projects

Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission

ForSea Solutions (FSS) and the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission (ODCC) began their collaboration in 2017, recognizing the intricate and demanding nature of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process. To navigate the pre-assessment phase and kickstart a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) in 2020 with the goal of achieving MSC certification, ODCC engaged the expertise of Natasha’s team at FSS.

Since 2020, under the leadership and technical expertise of ForSea Solutions, ODCC has launched the US Oregon Dungeness crab – pot/trap FIP, a multi-stakeholder effort recognized and tracked on FisheryProgress.org, showcasing its commitment to credible and transparent fishery improvement.

The Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishery: A Legacy of Sustainability

The history of Dungeness crab harvesting dates back to the late 1800s, with these crustaceans being commercially harvested along the Pacific coast. Named after a fishing village on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, they are found from central California to the Gulf of Alaska, holding a significant place in the Northwest’s seafood heritage.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), as the lead agency, employs a ‘3-S’ management strategy for this resource, controlling harvests based on crab size, sex, and season. This approach bans the retention of female crabs, establishes a minimum carapace size for male crabs, and sets a specific season for harvesting. The 3-S regulations, largely consistent across states, have been in place since the 1960s.

Oregon’s crab fishery is regulated through a limited entry system established in 1996, with around 450 permits issued. Currently, more than 350 vessels are active in the fishery, ranging from small wooden trollers to large steel combination vessels.

The Oregon Dungeness crab fishery has achieved significant milestones, including the adoption of a Fishery Management Plan (FMP), continuous stock research, and a new joint study funded by NOAA on modeling the crab population, to name a few.

ODCC’s long-term commitment to achieving globally recognized sustainability standards has established a strong foundation for the successful implementation of the FIP in Oregon. Moreover, this solid groundwork could foster coast-wide Dungeness crab fishery’s pursuit of MSC certification, highlighting their firm adherence to sustainable fishing practices and business longevity.

🌊 Our goals are clear:

• 📜  Adopted Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for the Oregon Dungeness Crab fishery, prioritizing precautionary measures and aligning with MSC’s Principle 2 by 2024 ✅
• 🐋 Implement solutions to reduce whale entanglements in crab fishing gear by 2025
• 🛠️ Introduce new technologies to streamline logbook submissions and monitor compliance with fishing area regulations by 2025
• 🔍 Conduct an external review of key aspects of the fishery management system by 2025

PCD Yuzhno-Kurilsky Ryibokombinat Co. Ltd

Russia Kunashir salmon – trap/net Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) focuses on coastal trap nets, beach seines, and anchored set gillnets operated by PCF Yuzhno-Kurilsky Ryibokombinat Co., Ltd. (YKRK Co., Ltd.) on Kunashir Island, part of Sakhalin Oblast in Russia. Currently, the fishery primarily uses coastal trap nets to catch Pink and Chum salmon along the island’s coast. 

Founded in 1946 and restructured in 1999, YKRK Co., Ltd. is a leading fishing company in its region, boasting an annual harvest of 42,000 metric tons across various species. YKRK harvests pollock, cod, halibut, flatfish, squid, and other species in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, supported by a fleet of 14 fishing, processing, transport, and specialized vessels. Since 2018, its salmon hatchery at Lagoonnoye Lake has been releasing juvenile Chum salmon.

YKRK Co., Ltd.: Leading the Way in Sustainable Fishing Practices

In 2021, ForSea Solutions conducted an MSC pre-assessment for YKRK Co., Ltd.’s Kunashir salmon fishery, meticulously evaluating it against MSC standard’s three Principles focusing on fish stock sustainability, minimal ecosystem impact, and fishery management effectiveness. Following the pre-assessment, a comprehensive fishery improvement project was launched and has been publicized on FisheryProgress.org, aiming for MSC certification.
As the designated FIP lead and MSC technical consultant, the FSS team developed a rigorous FIP work plan and has been diligently monitoring progress against its environmental goals and compliance with social policy requirements, ensuring transparent reporting and the achievement of milestones within the FIP.
The client-fishery demonstrates strengths such as the use of selective fishing gear, minimal bycatch, and largely compliant management practices, including a low activity of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Nonetheless, it faces challenges like insufficient escapement monitoring and hatchery impacts on the wild Chum population that spawns in the Lagoonnoye Lake.

🌊 By December 2026, the FIP will achieve these objectives:

• 📈 Improve data collection to include fishery-independent escapement monitoring
• 🛠️ Develop a rebuilding plan and harvest strategy that achieves a high likelihood of maintaining pink and chum salmon escapements that meet management targets and that reduces fishing mortality when abundance is low to promote stock rebuilding
• 🐟 Implement hatchery release fry marking and use this data to assess the effects of hatchery operations on the wild stock and its contribution to catches
• 👀 Increase ETP catch monitoring and research to ensure the fishery is not harming ETP species
• 📜 Promote management actions that are responsive to the status of the stock

The FIP is designed to address these issues and prepare the fishery for an MSC full assessment by carefully guiding YKRK Co., Ltd. and other FIP participants through improvement efforts, implementing vital modifications in the fishery management system, and maintaining active engagement with stakeholders. This initiative not only aims to bolster sustainability but also to forge potential new markets in North America and Europe.

PRESTIGE OYSTERS Texas and Louisiana Private Oyster Fishery

 

In 2018, ForSea Solutions provided MSC Certification guidance for Prestige Oyster’s Inc., a prominent producer of Gulf oysters to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its private oyster fisheries in Texas and Louisiana in 2019. This recognition marks the first wild oyster fishery in the Americas to be acknowledged for sustainable fishing practices. The certification followed a rigorous 10-month assessment by an independent third-party assessor, MRAG Americas, ensuring compliance with standards such as sustainable fish stocks, minimal environmental impact, and effective management systems. 

Prestige Oyster’s MSC Certification Journey

The American cupped oyster, native to Texas and Louisiana, is harvested on private leases using sustainable practices aimed at preserving oyster reefs and marine ecosystems. This certification underscores Prestige Oyster’s dedication to environmental stewardship and consumer trust. 

Since 2021, Prestige Oyster’s has been subject to annual surveillance audits according to the MSC Fishery Certification Requirements, demonstrating the fishery’s commitment to sustainability and its effective advancement in the Client Action Plan. MRAG Americas attests that the fishery consistently upholds the MSC Fisheries Standard, maintaining its active certification by meeting the MSC specified conditions.