SALT LAKE CITY, May 15, 2023 – Utah’s Great Salt Lake brine shrimp fishery has officially achieved the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) sustainable wild fishery certification, making it the first inland fishery in the United States to earn this prestigious certification.
Brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) are a small, shrimp-like crustacean that live in hypersaline lake environments and are a vital part of the lake's ecosystem, serving as a food source for numerous bird species and providing an important source of income for local fishermen.
The MSC certification process is rigorous and requires fisheries to meet strict standards for sustainable fishing practices, environmental impact, and management. The Great Salt Lake brine shrimp fishery underwent a thorough 8-month assessment by an independent, third-party certifier and was found to meet MSC's criteria for environmentally sustainability fishing practices.