31 March 2014

1. New Zealand has a globally recognised quota management system to ensure there will be seafood for future generations and that any environmental impacts are mitigated and minimised.

2. This is an essential part of an industry that provides $1.5 billion in export income for New Zealand and provides 600,000 tonnes of healthy, sustainable protein to the world each year.

3. Many of our deepwater species have gone a step further and are certified as sustainable by the world’s largest independent seafood sustainability group, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

4. The MSC process is robust and requires extensive science and research, stakeholder engagement and independent assessment. This means the process can take several years.

5. Eighty percent of commercially fished New Zealand deepwater species are either certified or on the journey to achieve MSC Certification: