Here at West Coast Crab Sales Ltd. we are fully committed to responsible fishing practices and the long-term protection of the marine environment. There are very strict rules regarding the size of crab and lobster that can be landed, and we adhere to these rigidly, this enables the shellfish to breed and grow year in year out. Our fishing vessels meet strict standards of quality, safety and traceability.
To keep our standards high each vessel supplying West Coast Crab Sales has joined the Irish Brown Crab Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) and have also achieved Responsibly Sourced Seafood (RSS) Standard. Irish Brown Crab FIP aims to improve the sustainable operations within a fishery. RSS Standard is a product certification system assuring that catches have been fished responsibly, are of the highest quality and are traceable. Having an RSS Standard demonstrates to our customers that our product is caught using best fishing and handling practises with respect to the environment.
We fish crab and lobster using side entry baited pots, this method of fishing has a low impact on the environment, so when you buy our product, you can be assured of a sustainable product.
At West Coast Crab Sales Ltd., we are committed to the continued future of crab and lobster fishing in Ireland and ensuring sustainable stocks through innovation and dedication to quality.
In 2019 we became certified Origin Green Members. This is a big achievement for our company which helps us to enforce the sustainability commitments that we have already put in place.
“At West Coast Crab Sales Ltd we have a long-standing awareness of our responsibility to the environment, and to reducing our environmental footprint. says Jonathan. (director of West Coast Crab Sales Ltd)
Origin Green is Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme. It is a voluntary programme, led by Bord Bia, that brings together our food industry – from fishermen to food producers, retailers to foodservice operators – with the common goal of sustainable food production.
The overall ambition of the Origin Green programme is that food manufacturing businesses throughout Ireland sign up to the sustainability agenda, making measurable commitments which are independently assessed and verified. Ireland’s food business members commit to a mandatory mix of target areas specified by the Origin Green charter.
Maintain High Standards – Working with the relevant agencies to ensure we keep to the standards required by FIPS (Fisheries Improvements Project) RSS (Responsibly Sourced Seafood Certification) and Origin Green (Bord Bia Quality & sustainability programme).
Packaging & Waste Reduction – This target covers two areas. The first one is to tackle on board cardboard waste on fishing vessels which supply the company. We have implemented a no cardboard on board policy which sees our fishermen dispose of all cardboard, plastics and straps from bait boxes responsibly using a compactor and bins on the pier prior to fishing trips. To date we have recycled over 20 tonnes of cardboard. Our second target is to tackle domestic waste on board making sure it is disposed of in the correct manner. The vessels which supply us are also members of the BIM Fishing for Litter campaign.
Biodiversity and Community Outreach Targets – Donating to local Tidy Towns projects such as their Butterfly Garden, town farm area and their award winning Great Yellow Bumblebee Pollinators Project. For more information check out their website: www.belmullettidytowns.com/great-yellow-bumblebee
We are supporters of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan (AIPP) since 2019. See their website for more information www.pollinators.ie
Community Engagement and raising awareness by using one of our street facing windows as a notice board for Belmullet Tidy Town to display information on projects and workshops running. Encouraging our staff to take part in the biodiversity workshops.
Supporting local events and increasing awareness about The Brown Crab Industry by organising information talks in local secondary schools.
We are very proud to be the first company in Erris to achieve this standard. We plan to continue our hard work and fully commit to keeping these high standards into the future.
