In the meantime, José Manuel, David and Alfredo have reached the last fish traps. Today's catch is rather modest by their standards. "Around 90 kilograms," estimates David. But because it is MSC pulpo, they get around 20 percent more money for it than for conventional octopus. "We have stricter regulations and still catch about the same amount as before," explains father José Manuel, who has been at sea for 43 years. "But in the end, we earn more thanks to MSC." Word gets around. "Despite all the reservations about the controls, more and more fishermen are getting certified," says David. In the medium term, they will also be able to supply more MSC octopus. From January to June, the MSC fishermen in Asturias catch around 50 tons. "In terms of quantity, that's actually negligible," says Concha Lopez, the export manager of fish processor Alfrio in the north of Spain, which processes these 50 tons. Alfrio produces 1400 tons of pulpo per year. "But when we talk about the quality and the philosophy behind it, MSC is a very important step."
Theodor Pulver, who procures MSC pulpo for Coop and Bell, shares this view. Pulver is Head of Seafood Purchasing at Bell and is a little proud that Coop is the only supplier in Switzerland to stock MSC pulpo. "The Swiss are not the biggest octopus lovers," says Pulver, "but they are catching up." Above all, however, it is the southerners living in Switzerland who love this octopus. And very importantly: "They are also increasingly relying on sustainability labels such as MSC." In culinary terms, pulpo is an absolute delicacy and is highly prized in Galicia and Asturias. One kilogram costs between 45 and 50 euros in the supermarket in Spain, more than prime beef. The MSC pulpo is gutted and washed and then packaged and frozen as whole squid. Freezing makes it easier to transport, but that's not all: the freezing process and subsequent thawing breaks down the structure of the meat so that it becomes the tender delicacy that pulpo is known to be.MSC-Pulpo - fishing with brains
Fisherman David Manuel García pulls cage after cage out of the water using the winch. He pulls an octopus out of about every second one. He throws the small octopuses back into the water. They are still too young and he does not want to catch them. But he keeps the big ones, the ones weighing more than a kilo. He hands the empty cage to Alfredo Alvarez, who stacks it on the stern. The fishing boat, named Ruben David, is off the coast of Asturias in north-western Spain, near the small town of Viavélez. The April weather is cool. It is fishing time for a delicacy of the region: octopus or pulpo, as it is also known in the kitchen.
David, his father José Manuel and Alfredo operate one of currently 27 fishing boats that catch octopus to MSC standards in Asturias. When father José Manuel talks, you can sense his pride in carrying the MSC label. "You have to fish with brains," he explains meaningfully. By "smart", he means that the fishermen don't just pull out everything the sea has to offer. The MSC fishermen adhere to specified catch quantities, do not set more than the permitted 350 traps, use traps that comply with MSC regulations and monitor each other. "The checking is the most difficult part of MSC certification," explains son David with a smile: "The older fishermen don't like having their books looked at, and they hate having to carry a tracking device with them so that you can check exactly where they are fishing. But they have to get used to it."
