Real Stories: Cantabrian Anchovies, “MSC” & Sustainability
Not all anchovies are the same in terms of taste, texture and quality. On one hand we have hardcore fans of the delicacy, while on the opposite end of the spectrum we have who are best described as mere haters. Whichever camp you may belong to, Anchovies have been with us since the 16th century, profoundly loved the Greeks and the Romans, eventually expanding to the Mediterranean. Anchovies are a staple in South East Asian countries, stemming from their popularity in Ancient China.
The tiny fishes may seem to be in abundance in the vast oceans across the world, but the quest for fine food has led humans to identify that certain species and geographical locations offer the best of the best. Such is the case for the Cantabrian anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, which are a true representation of Spanish food culture and an incredible offering from the Basque country.
The MSC Certification
When the numbers of Cantabrian anchovies was deemed to be alarmingly low, the entire fishing ground of the Cantabrian sea was closed off for 5 years during 2005 to 2010 to let the anchovy population grow. One has to bear in mind that the fishermen and their families largely depended on fishing as their sole means of livelihood. In fact, the women of this region have been historically been involved in both fixing the fishing nets as well as skillfully fileting each anchovy in the canneries, some of which have been in the business for well over a 100 years. To not be able to depend on fishing, was a period of uncertainty for many of their livelihoods. However, it was the combined efforts of the fishermen guilds, canneries and other stakeholders which saw the region work towards the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) assessment for certification. The assessment was conducted by Bureau Veritas, an independent certification body, for compliance with MSC’s three environmental standards: the health of the anchovy population, the impact of the fishery on the marine ecosystem, and efficient fishery management in 2014. A year later in 2015, the first ever European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fishery was awarded the prestigious Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainability.
Fishermen pose with the MSC Certified Blue Tick logo at the Bay of Biscay (Image Courtesy: EFEVerde)
How did they do it?
Cantabrian anchovy fishers have been supporting responsible fishing for years, using a selective fishing method like the purse seine.
The purse seine method of fishing (Image courtesy: MSC)
Purse seines are used in the open ocean to target dense schools of single-species fish, like the Cantabrian Anchovy. A vertical net ‘curtain’ is used to surround the school of fish, the bottom of which is then drawn together to enclose the fish, rather like tightening the cords of a drawstring purse. This method of fishing in open water is generally considered to be an efficient form of fishing. It has no contact with the seabed and can have low levels of bycatch (accidental catch of unwanted species). MSC certified fisheries using purse seines must ensure that they leave enough fish in the ocean to reproduce. This can be achieved by using a mesh size large enough to allow smaller fish to swim free.
Read the entire story here.
The Future
By submitting to MSC full assessment, the Bay of Biscay fisherman not just improved the anchovy population, but proved their offering as a world-class fine food in terms of sustainability and traceability. This certification adds value to Cantabrian anchovy products in both national and international markets. Consumers can rest assured that they are buying an anchovy that has been captured according to the internationally-accepted sustainability MSC standards and that they will always be able to trace our product back to its source, the Cantabrian Sea.
Conservas Olasagasti: An iconic Artisan producer of Cantabrian anchovies
The Orlando family has been devoted to the traditional, artisan ways of producing and preserving Olasagasti anchovies and tuna since the 1920s. During the height of the fishing season (late March until early June), they send small fishing boats out into the Cantabrian Sea near San Sebastian. The best fish are prepared by hand using traditional methods and are served in the best tapas bars throughout Spain. All Olasagasti anchovies are MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified. In fact, they were at the forefront of supporting the MSC assessment for Cantabrian anchovies as a producer.
“A favourite with chefs, these clean, salt-forward bites are a great all-rounder anchovy to keep in the pantry for entertaining. Olasagasti (in their words, "hard to say but easy to eat") anchovies would go beautifully atop oxheart tomatoes with a crack of pepper or served in a classic Caesar salad.” - ‘Five Best Anchovies to Buy’ by Gourmet Traveller.
We are very proud to offer Olasagasti’s range of Anchovies and Tuna exclusively in South Australia from our sub-distributorship agreements with importer Fino Foods.
See Conservas Olasagasti’s range of offerings from Secco - https://www.seccofinefoods.com.au/conservas-olasagasti
Conservas Olasagasti’s Website - https://www.conservasolasagasti.com/en/