Projo Biz Blog

Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishermen have received certification from an international conservation organization for having a sustainable fishery.

The London-based Marine Stewardship Council says it's the first East Coast fishery to attain the certification.

The red crab fishery consists of four vessels based out of New Bedford, Mass., that pull crab pot traps in waters 2,500 feet and deeper from North Carolina to Maine. Last year, the boats harvested than 3 million pounds of crab, which was processed into raw products sold to U.S. restaurants.

Fisheries that are certified as "sustainable" can use the council's blue ecolabel, a seal that assures consumers that the seafood was not overfished or harvested in a way that harms the ocean. The Maine lobster industry is going through the process of seeking certification

 Tags  Marine Stewardship Council red crab

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