Important Accomplishment
"This is an important accomplishment for our fishermen who harvest shrimp, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, who manage this fishery," said Brad Pettinger, Director of the Oregon Trawl Commission, which represents the Oregon pink shrimp fleet. "Although we produce just two percent of the world's coldwater shrimp supply, Oregon is leading the way for other shrimp fisheries and providing a best case example of how to run and manage a sustainable fishery."
Sometimes referred to as bay or salad shrimp, Oregon pink shrimp are small, usually ranging in size from about 100 to 140 whole shrimp per pound. Fished from the cold waters of the pacific ocean, Oregon pink shrimp are harvested using the most advanced trawl methods. Following short at-sea trips and immediate on-board icing, the shrimp are delivered to shore for cooking peeling, and freezing, resulting in an extremely fresh product that is considered some of the most flavorful shrimp in the world. Canned and frozen shrimp are available year round, and fresh shrimp are typically available at local markets from Apr. 1 to Oct. 31.
"This is a huge achievement for Oregon's pink shrimp trawl fishery," said Katy Coba, Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "The certifying body is an internationally recognized organization with very high scientific standards for a approving the certification of a wild fishery. Certainly, this certification will help our pink shrimp fishermen maintain existing market access and gain access to new markets."
The Pacific halibut fishery, which operates in the waters of
Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon and the Oregon
Dungeness crab fishery are currently undergoing MSC certification. 