Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis)
Location:  NZ EEZ
Fishing methods:  Pelagic trawl
Vessels:  16
Number of fisheries: 1

More about whiting

Southern blue whiting is a schooling species that is predominantly found in sub-Antarctic waters. Early growth has been well documented with fish reaching a length of about 20 cm FL after one year and 30 cm FL after two years. Growth slows down after five years and virtually ceases after ten years. The ages and lengths at maturity, and at recruitment into the fishery, vary between areas and between years. In some years a small proportion of males mature at age 2, but the majority do not mature until age 3 or 4, usually at lengths of 33–40 cm FL. The majority of females also mature at age 3 or 4 usually at lengths of 35–42 cm FL. 

Southern blue whiting are highly synchronised batch spawners. Four spawning areas have been identified on Bounty Platform, Pukaki Rise, Auckland Islands Shelf, and Campbell Island Rise. The Campbell Island Rise has two separate spawning grounds, in the north and the south respectively. Fish appear to aggregate to spawn first to the southern ground but thereafter spawn also on the northern ground. Spawning on Bounty Platform begins in mid August and finishes by mid September. Spawning begins 3–4 weeks later in the other areas, finishing in late September/early October. Spawning appears to occur at night, in mid-water, over depths of 400–500 m on Campbell Island Rise but over shallower waters elsewhere. The four spawning areas are treated as separate stocks.

More about the fishing methods

Catches of southern blue whiting are taken mostly by semi-pelagic trawls. The trawl vessels deploy high aspect ratio multipurpose doors, which allow bottom or midwater operation. Vessels predominantly use Furuno CN22/24 electronic net-monitoring systems, which capture data on the headline height, the distance between the groundrope and the seabed, and water temperature, and transmit this data in real time through an acoustic link to the vessel’s bridge to assist with the deployment in the water column. Some of the fleet use Scanmar or Simrad net monitoring equipment to measure door spread and catch sensors to assess codend “fullness”, but none use trawl sonar as cabled systems are illegal in New Zealand waters, to prevent seabird mortalities.The midwater trawls come in a wide range of sizes measured by either headline length or headline opening (opening from 25-75m) and can be used in pelagic or semi-pelagic mode. Regulations prescribe a minimum mesh size of 60 mm for cod end for trawls in the southern blue whiting fisheries.

Fishery tonnage

Estimated catches for 2003-4 (Tonnes):

Bounty Platform - 3812
Campbell Island Rise - 28,718
Pukaki Rise - 163

Commercial market

Similar to other NZ deepwater finfish species, southern blue whiting is taken commercially and the majority is exported (>90%). The main export markets are Europe, Japan, Russia and Spain.

Actual eligibility date

October 2011

Certified as sustainable in May 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Hoki (Macruronus magellanicus)
Location:  South West Atlantic, within the Argentine Territorial waters (FAO statistical area 41)
Fishing methods:  Industrial bottom trawl net and Industrial semi-pelagic trawl net.
Vessels: 
Number of fisheries: 1

More about Hoki

Hoki is a species that is widely distributed on the continental shelf of Argentina, approximately between the 35° and 56° S latitude.However, commercial concentrations of the species are distributed more significantly south of 46° S latitude between the isobaths of 50 and 200 m . The general concentration distribution North 48° LS goes deeper to 170 mtrs, by the influence of Malvinas Current. South 48ᵒ LS goes deeper than 50mtrs following the inner Patagonian current near the coast of the Province of Santa Cruz to Golfo San Jorge and the inner arm of Malvinas Current.

The maximum estimated age is 13 years, although such long-lived individuals are rare in catches. Individuals grow rapidly during the first three years, reaching almost 50% of asymptotic length at the end of that period. The estimated growth parameters suggest significant differences between sexes.  Diet of hoki in the Southwest Atlantic is composed mainly by amphipods hyperiid, mofrequent near the coast, and secondarily by euphausiids, which contribution increases importance towards the the platform edge. The main hoki competitors as zooplankton eaters, are the SBW Southern Blue Whiting, and the common Hake

More about the fishing methods

Four fleets target Patagonian hoki in Argentinean waters: (1) ice chilled vessels; (2) hake freezers vessels; (3) factory freezer vessel; (4) surimi freezer vessel.  The freezer trawler fleet consists of vessels ranging from 29 to 118 m operating bottom and semipelagic trawls nets. Ships have processing plants with capacity of freezing (in tunnels and plates) and cameras to maintain the frozen products.The gear used is mainly the bottom trawl; those specialized in hoki use semi pelagic trawls, which are more appropiate for hoki. All trawl vessels in Argentina are required to have nets with a minimum mesh size of 120 mm between opposite knots

Fishery tonnage

The 2008 landings of hoki was 110,267 mt.

Commercial market

Products derived from these fisheries are not widely distributed in Argentina whjere there is little consumption of Hoki, Most of the production is exported. A few supermarkets offer a sub-product called kanikama in the local market. Some fishing vessels produce surimi on board which is mostly sold in Japan; although a local sirimi processing plant in Puerto Deseado produces crab imitation.

Actual eligibility date

11 October 2011

First certified in March 2000, recertified in December 2006 and again in March 2012.

Summary

Species:  Rock Lobster (Panulirus cygnus)
Location:  Coast of Western Australia from Cape Leeuwin to Shark Bay.
Fishing methods:  Baited pots and traps
Number of fisheries:  1

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More about rock lobster

Western rock lobster occurs off the western coast of Australia, with the postlarval stages inhabiting the continental shelf from 1 to 200 metres in depth. The highest densities occur in waters less than 60 metres deep. The species, Panulirus cygnus, is a spiny lobster with long antennae. The older juveniles and adult lobsters (except 'whites') assume a reddish-purple colour with each moult. Its life cycle includes a long oceanic larval stage (about 9 months), 3-6 years juvenile stage in shallow reefs and then become available to the fishery.

Fishing methods

Lobsters are harvested using baited pots and traps.

Fishery tonnage

5,500mt of western rock lobster in 2010/2011

More about the fishery

The 2nd recertification covers the 250 lobster vessels operating in the fishery.

The fishery has strict requirements in place including seasonal closures, minimum size requirements and a ban on catching breeding females. Data on the fishery has been kept since the 1960s and enables fisheries scientists to predict catches accurately and ensure that controls are adequate to keep the fishery operating at sustainable levels. Commercial fishers, processors and the Western Australian government work closely together to preserve the fishery’s future.

The fishery recently moved from an input (effort control) to an output (catch quota) management system, which controls the amount of catch fishers are able to take during the commercial season. This decision was made in close consultation with the Department of Fisheries Western Australia because of below-average recruitment rates in the fishery in recent years, and has meant a significant reduction in the volume of lobster taken from the fishery – a reduction of almost half from the 2005/06 catch – to ensure the sustainability of the rock lobster stocks.

A consequence of the introduction of these quota management measures has been a significant reduction in the number of pots being used in the fishery, which in turn has significantly reduced the fishery’s impact on the surrounding ecosystem. The fishery has also introduced Sea Lion Exclusion Devices (SLEDS) to minimise the mortality of sea lions and banned the use of bait bands that can entangle marine animals.

Commercial market

Western Australia rock lobster is the most valuable single-species fishery in Australia at an estimated value of $200M per year. Products from this fishery are sold to markets in Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, China, the USA and Europe.

Certified as sustainable on 18th June 2010.

Summary

Species: North Atlantic swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
Location:  NAFO areas 3, 4, 5, & 6 as well as outside the NAFO Convention Area, in the ICCAT Northern Swordfish Boundary Area
Fishing methods: Harpoon
Vessels: 73 (2009)
Number of fisheries: 1

More about swordfish

Swordfish are a highly migratory species and their distribution is influenced by environmental conditions, in particular water temperature. Therefore, their presence in Canadian waters is often seasonal and closely related to cycles in water temperature. Of all billfish, the swordfish are the species with the greatest tolerance to temperature, tolerating waters ranging from 5-27 degrees Centigrade.

More about the fishing methods

The harpoon fishery is a unique hunt-like fishery, in which spotted swordfish are targeted with a spear measuring 4 to 5 meters in length attached with a line to a high-flyer balloon. Once impaled the fisher pulls in the catch. In the instance that the fish takes off, the line is played out, towing the highflyer until the fish can be retrieved. Harpooning is conducted on clear weather calm days, when basking swordfish are easily spotted, from small boats with minimal crew sizes.

Fishery tonnage

In 2008, 203 tonnes was harvested by the harpoon sector.

Commercial market

Over 90% of the swordfish landed in Atlantic Canada is exported to the United States.  All products are shipped to fresh markets in a headed and gutted form.

Actual eligibility date

18th June 2010.

Certified as sustainable in May 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Cod (gadus morhua), haddock (melanogrammus aeglefinus) and saithe (pollachius virens)
Location:  North East Arctic – ICES Sub Areas I and II in FAO statistical area 27.
Fishing methods:  Demersal otter trawl
Vessels:  8
Number of fisheries: 3

More about cod/haddock/saithe

Cod
Cod (Gadus morhua) is the most iconic fishery species of the north Atlantic, it can be found from the surface down to around 600m depth, but is most abundant between 150m and 200m. They are generalist demersal carnivores, feeding on any invertebrates or fish of the appropriate size, including capelin, argentine, pout, sand eels and juveniles of other demersal species, including cod.

Haddock
Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) has a similar geographic range to cod, although perhaps with a slightly more southerly core – it is rare around Greenland and reaches a little further south along the east coast of North America. Haddock also tends to be found slightly shallower than cod, preferring a depth range of ~75-200m, although it can also be found down to 600m. Nonetheless, its ecology is similar to that of cod, to which it is closely related. Haddock are also generalist demersal carnivores that feed on both invertebrates and fish. They are, however, more likely to feed demersally on benthic invertebrates than cod, which are more strongly piscivorous.

Saithe
Saithe (Pollachius virens) is also distributed across the North Atlantic, in the Barents Sea, around Greenland and Iceland, in the North Sea and as far south as the Bay of Biscay and North Carolina (although rare on the edges of this range). It is gregarious, and is known to migrate ontogenetically and for spawning. Adult saithe are piscivorous, feeding on smaller fish than cod.  In the eastern Atlantic, juvenile saithe are distributed in coastal waters – in the fjords on the coast of Norway, for example. They mature at around 3 years of age, and at the same time migrate offshore where they live as adults roughly between 200 and 400 m depth

More about the fishing methods

The gear used in this fishery is a standard demersal rockhopper otter trawl. The trawl mesh size must be at least 130mm. The otter boards (trawl doors) weigh 4-5 tonnes and are ~9m2. Trawling depth is mainly 200-250 m (minimum ~120 m, maximum ~300 m), and trawl duration is highly variable depending on catch rate. The net also includes a sorting grill with an 80 mm grid separation. The trawl doors are 9-10.5 m2, weighing 4-5 tonnes. The DFFU / Doggerbank vessels fish in trips of around 60 days, landing frozen product into Germany or more rarely Iceland.

Fishery tonnage

In 2008 the fishery landed 13,783 tonnes of cod, 1,222 tonnes of haddock and 309 tonnes of saithe.

In 2009 the fishery landed 18,739 tonnes cod, 3,410 tonnes haddock and 365 tonnes of saithe.

Commercial market

Catch is sold globally. The usual markets are the UK for cod and Germany for saithe.

Actual eligibility date

15 January 2012

Certified as sustainable in May 2012. 

Summary

Species:  European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis)
Location:  Western Limfjord, Denmark
Fishing methods:  Oyster Dredge
Vessels:  101
Number of fisheries: 1

More about European flat oyster

Native oysters can be found intertidally but generally occur offshore from about low water down to some 80 m on firm, comparatively immobile bottoms of mud, rocks, muddy sand, muddy gravel with shells, hard silt or old peat bottoms , but the main concentrations are usually in shallower water, down to some 20 m.  They are sessile animals, cementing to hard objects on the seabed by the left (lower) shell, so the substrate must contain suitable, clean, hard surfaces forsettlement (known as cultch). In appearance, O. edulis is usually roughly circular in shape, but the shell is often distorted, conforming to the shape of the surface to which it is attached. This distortion can be excessive when more than one oyster is attached to the same object. The irregular shell has a distinct hooked beak patterned with delicate foliation. The two halves (valves) of the shell are of different shapes. 

Both the planktonic larvae and adult oysters are filter feeders, extracting particles from the water by means of ciliary mechanism that sort particles and pass them to the mouth. The diet now includes organic detritus, bacteria, diatoms, dinoflagellates and a variety of protozoans, together with the smallest planktonic crustaceans and fragments of larger animals. Ostrea edulis is a protandric sequential hermaphrodite: the young oyster first becomes sexually mature as a male, then changes relatively slowly to a functional female, after which it very quickly becomes a male again and so on alternately throughout life. Spawning takes place in the summer months, when the temperature reaches about 15°C. The eggs and sperm are discharged from the gonad into the chamber above the gills. For male oysters the sperm is immediately pumped out in the exhalent water current. For the females, however, the eggs are forced against the water current through the fine channels in the gills into the inhalant chamber, where they are fertilized by sperm brought in with the inhalant water current.

Oysters have numerous invertebrate predators and are also eaten by some fish. In general, the thin shelled spat are the most vulnerable and predation declines as the oysters becomes larger and the shell thickens. Various crabs, but notably the common shore crab Carcinus maenas, and the common starfish Asterias rubens, are serious predators in many fisheries. Many animals, like ascidians and barnacles, compete with Ostrea edulis for space, or food, but perhaps the most important in many areas is the slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata.  This species was introduced with imported oysters from North America in about 1880 and has subsequently spread throughout Europe where it can occur in such high densities that it causes problems for oyster cultivation.

More about the fishing methods

There are 101 oyster dredgers operating in the Limfjord.  Vessels are restricted to a maximum overall length of 12m (although there are 4 vessels larger than this size that have “grandfather” rights to fish because they were operating in the fishery prior to the introduction of this regulation).  Around 50 of the vessels are 12m long, and the rest are smaller than 12m. Dredges used in the oyster fishery are restricted in their size and weight by fishing licence requirements.  They must be no more than 1m in width and 20cm high, with their weight limited to 35kg.  Vessels can use no more than two dredges at a time, and are prohibited from carrying mussel dredges aboard when they are fishing for oysters.

Fishery tonnage

1,049 tonnes in 2010

Commercial market

Main markets have been identified as Europe.

Actual eligibility date

17 October 2011

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Skipjack tuna (katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin tuna (thunnus albacares)
Location:  FAO Statistical Area 77  in the Eastern Central Pacific.
Fishing methods:  Pole & line
Vessels:  2
Number of fisheries: 2

More about skipjack/yellowfin tuna

Skipjack (SKJ)
SKJ is a marine fish found in most waters around the world with temperatures above 15 °c. Larvae are mostly restricted to areas with temperatures of at least 25°c. SKJ tends to be associated with regions of upwelling or areas where cold, nutrient-rich waters are brought from the bottom of the ocean to the surface, as well as regions where cold and warm water mix. These areas are highly productive. Several oceanographic and biological features are known to influence, directly or indirectly, the distribution of SKJ within their overall limits. These include temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, thermocline structure, bottom topography, water transparency, current systems, water masses and biological productivity. In the tropics, temperature seems to play a minor role in governing distribution since thermal gradients in these areas are generally weak. However, in sub-tropical areas, SKJ fisheries exhibit seasonality that correlate well with surface temperature. The maximum age of SKJ is not known, but it is believed to be between 8 and 12 years. SKJ mainly feed on fish, crustacean and molluscs. The wide variety in its diet suggests that SKJ is a highly opportunistic feeder. Feeding activity peaks in the early morning and again in the late afternoon.

Yellowfin (YFT)
YFT are distributed worldwide, occurring in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and all warm seas of the world except the Mediterranean Sea. YFT is found above and below the thermoclines. They school primarily by size, either in monospecific or multi-species groups. Larger fish frequently school with porpoises and are also associatedwith floating debris and other objects. As YFT is sensitive to low concentrations of oxygen it is nousually caught below 250 m in the tropics. YFT eat any forage organism from three major marine groups (fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans). YFT feed during daylight hours principally in the surface layers of the sea.

More about the fishing methods

In the Pole & Line fishery, bait is kept in a water tank on–board from where it is scooped into the sea to attract fish and create a feeding frenzy. Fishermen use a fibre glass pole with a line to which a barbless lure is attached. When the individual fish bites the lure the fishermen swing the catch on board the vessel. According to the size of the fish, fishermen may work alone, as a double team (i.e. two poles connected to a single line) or a triple team (i.e. three poles connected to a single line). Fish are stored in refrigerated seawater until landed.  

Fishery tonnage

Landings by the two client vessels in 2007 totalled 495 mt (skipjack – 121 mt; yellowfin – 374 mt) and in
2008, 555 mt (skipjack - 187 mt; yellowfin – 354 mt).

Commercial market

The fishery currently supplies raw material to the canning operations located in Matancitas. Currently, factory output is marketed in Mexico; with certification the ambition would be to target the EU, U.S. and Canadian markets for canned certified tuna.

Actual eligibility date

1 May 2012

First certified as sustainable in in April 2001 and recertified in February 2007. Started second reassessment in September 2011.

Summary

Species: Cockle (Cerastoderma edule)
Location: Burry Inlet Estuary in South Wales (UK) near the towns of Llanelli and Swansea
Fishing methods: Hand-raking and sieving of cockles
Number of fisheries: 1

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More about cockles

The cockle Cerastoderma edulis is a burrowing bivalve occurring on all British and European coasts. It is common in the intertidal and shallow subtidal, where it can occur in a variety of sediments, notably mud, sand and muddy gravels. Cockles live within a few centimetres of the surface and can be washed out en-masse during storms. Lifespan is typically 2-4 years and they spawn at the age of around 18 months.

More about the fishing methods

Cockles are collected by hand-raking. They are then sieved through meshes - those small enough to pass through the mesh are left in place to rebury. 

Fishery tonnage

 3,500 tonnes

Commercial market

Most cockles are sold cooked. Cockles are mainly sold locally but are also sold to UK retailers, and some are exported to Spain, Holland, France and Portugal. Changes in European health regulations have meant investment by local cockle processors since 1993 and the need for capital investment has required a pooling of resources. Accordingly there are now only three processors on the south side of the estuary (two are family interests and a new co-operative). On the north side a long-standing bottling plant exists.

Most processing is undertaken locally. Occasionally other merchants set up grading or distribution centres where the cockles are sent either to 'shell on' markets or for processing elsewhere.

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Mussels, (Mytilus edulis)
Location:  Limfjorden, Denmark
Fishing methods:  Rope grown
Number of fisheries: 1

More about mussels

The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) is a sessile bivalve attached to the substratum by a byssus. Mussels can withstand wide variation in salinity, desiccation, temperature and oxygen concentration, resulting in the ability to occupy a large variety of microhabitats. Mussels can be found on any substratum providing a secure anchorage such as rocks, stones, gravel, shingle, dead shells, and even mud and sand. In soft bottom areas as the Limfjord, the mussels form stabilised mussel beds of interconnected mussels and dead shells. The blue mussel Mytilus edulis is a filter-feeding bivalve filtering primary on micro-algae and organic detritus but at lower rates also on zooplankton. Mussels follow a reproductive strategy of producing a very large number of gametes and hence planktonic larvae, of which a small proportion survive to settle and establish on the seabed. Mussels can adapt their reproductive strategy depending on environmental conditions; hence the reproductive cycle depends on the population’s geographical situation. The planktonic life of Mytilus edulis varies from 2-4 weeks depending on temperature, food supplyand availability of suitable settlement substratum; hence it can take 10 and more weeks between thefertilisation and the settlement of the mussel.  The maximum settlement period is in June – Julyalthough a cohort of larvae and settlement are often observed in September. The growth rate of mussels varies greatly and is dependent largely on the availability of food.

More about the fishing methods

The 12 unit of certification cultivation areas under certification are licensed to five operators, and cover a total area of 2.1367km² (213.67ha).  The smallest area covers 12ha, and the largest 22.6ha.  Most of the licensed areas can be used for cultivation of both blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis).  No oyster cultivation activity is reported to be taking place in these areas at present. There are two aspects to stock status for an enhanced fishery.  One aspect concerns the state of the stock within the cultivated system; and the other is the state of the wild stock outside that system. 

Cultivated stock
The status of the cultivated stock is monitored by each mussel farmer within their farm area.  Effective mussel farm management requires careful recording of stocking densities and harvest output from the farm to ensure that it is managed optimally.  The husbandry of mussels within mussel farms results in the production of around 2,500 tonnes of cultivated mussels per year.  Each one of the cultivated mussels has the potential to produce around 3 million gametes per year, so the reproductive output of the mussel stock in cultivation is enormous. 

Wild stock status
The MSC Scheme is principally concerned with the effect of the enhanced fishery on the wild stock.  The ongoing success of the mussel farming industry in the Limfjord is dependent on the existence ofthe wild stock, which, initially at least, provides the mussel larvae that settle on spat collectors and aresubsequently cultivated. However, once a farm is established it could become a net exporter of larvae.This section briefly considers the status of the wild mussel stock in the Limfjord.

Fishery tonnage

2, 541 tonnes in 2010

Commercial market

The main commercial market for the Limfjord rope grown mussels have been identified as Europe and the Middle East.

Actual eligibility date

2 August 2011

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)
Location:  Within EU waters - ICES Areas VIa North, VIb, Vb
Fishing methods:  Pelagic trawl
Vessels:  28
Number of fisheries: 1

More about herring

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a pelagic species, with stocks widely distributed throughout the north-east Atlantic, ranging from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the English Channel in the south. Young herring are typically found close inshore, in estuaries or in sea lochs, whilst adult shoals generally occur further offshore.  Herring often travel huge distances between spawning, nursery and feeding grounds – a significant factor when considering the management of the fishery.  
Herring are demersal spawners.  Shoals of herring gather on the spawning grounds and spawn more or less simultaneously - releasing eggs in a single batch.  Eggs are laid on the sea bed, on stones, gravel or sand beds.  A female herring may deposit from 20,000 up to 120,000 eggs, depending on age and size.  The eggs sink to the bottom, where a mucus coat enables them to form layers or clumps.  Incubation time varies between 10 to 40 days depending on temperature.
The larvae are between 5 and 6mm at the time of hatching, and early nutrition is provided by a small yolk sac.  Only the eyes are well pigmented and the rest of the body is semi-transparent - virtually invisible underwater. The newly hatched larvae drift with oceanic currents. By the age of one-year, herring have a typical length of 10cm, and first spawning occurs at 3 years old.  Adult herring have been reported as old as 20 years, but this is very uncommon.
Clupea harengus play an important role in the food chain, consuming zooplankton (copepods, larval snails, diatoms, mysids, euphausiids etc.) and juvenile sandeels. There are no marked differences between the diets of small and large herring; only the proportions of the different food items change with size.  Young herring typically capture prey individually, but where prey concentrations reach very high levels, such as micro-layers that occur at fronts, herring are able to swim forwards with open mouth and expanded opercula. 

More about the fishing methods

The vessels are modern and technologically advanced with on-going investment in state of the art technology and modern electronic equipment such as sonar, net and catch monitors, which have greatly improved the precision of this method of fishing. Pelagic trawls are towed at the appropriate level in the water column to intercept target shoals, with gear depth being controlled by altering towing speed and/or warp length. The horizontal opening is maintained by mid-water pelagic trawl doors (or by pair trawling) whilst the vertical opening is maintained by chain on the groundline and floats on the headline – although these are not always required – depending on the way the net is rigged. The midwater trawl used by the Scottish pelagic fleet is designed and rigged to fish in midwater, including in the surface water and is therefore not designed to come in contact with the seabed, and any inadvertent contact is extremely rare – and would risk causing damage to the net. The large net (considerably larger than a demersal trawl net) consists of a cone shaped body, ending in a codend with lateral wings extending forward from the opening. Large mesh in the wings herd the fish before tapering to finer meshes in the square, belly and eventually the cod end. Larger mesh near the start of the net is designed to facilitate the escape of escape of small fish and also pelagic invertebrates such as jellyfish which have the potential to be impacted by pelagic fisheries. Although some Scottish vessels retain the flexibility to use purse seine nets, this gear type has not been considered as part of this assessment and is not therefore included in the unit of certification.  

Fishery tonnage

The client group caught 14,582 tonnes in 2008, 11,076 in 2009 and established a TAC of 14,356 tonnes in 2010.

Commercial market

West of Scotland herring is landed to processing factories in Scotland, Norway and Denmark. The final destinations for the herring products are Europe, Russia and Africa.

Actual eligibility date

17 July 2011

Certified as sustainable in December 2011. 

Summary

Species:  Sea Bass (Zeebaars, Dicentrarchus labrax)
Location:  Southern North Sea (ICES Division IVc)
Fishing methods:  Rod and line
Vessels:  19
Number of fisheries: 1

Fishery Fact Sheet

Download the Dutch rod and line fishery for sea bass fact sheet for A4 paper (PDF, 274 kb)

More about BASS

Sea bass are distributed in Northeast Atlantic shelf waters from southern Norway, through the North Sea, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean, to Northwest Africa.Adult sea bass migrate between well-defined feeding areas and pre-spawning and spawning areas which tend to be offshore to the south and west. First-year sea bass are found in estuaries and harbours, and along the adjacent coastline, where the juveniles may remain for up to 5 years before recruiting to the adult population.Bass are opportunistic predators throughout life, feeding on the species of crustaceans and fish which are the most readily available in any particular environment.

More about the fishing methods

The UoC fishing fleet consists of 19 under-10 m boats propelled by high-powered inboard or outboard motors (5 vessels have an engine power of more than 200 KW). The fishery takes place up to 70 miles from the home port, and uses high speed boats that normally make oneday trips and fish mainly during daytime. The fishery is carried out between March and December from an anchored boat near shipwrecks and other obstacles on the sea floor that attract concentrations of bass and cod, and which are located using GPS. The boats normally carry two or three crew, occasionally four, each using a single rod and line fishing with artificial bait (lures and pirks), but occasionally with natural baits, such as ragworm , lugworm or razor shells.

Commercial market

Sea bass is mainly sold on IJmuiden fish aution, gill tagged with VBHL's logo.

Actual eligibility date

15 December 2011

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Haddock (melangrammus aeglefinus)
Location:  Icelandic Exclusive Economic Zone (200nm) within ICES V / FAO area 27
Fishing methods:  Demersal otter trawl, Danish seine, long line, hand line and gill net.
Vessels: 
Number of fisheries: 1

More about SPECIES COMMON NAME

Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) is found throughout the temperate–sub-Arcticwaters of the North Atlantic from the Gulf of Maine on the east coast of North Americaacross the southernmost part of Greenland, Iceland, Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, Baltic andsouthwards around the British Isles to the Bay of Biscay. Although it is a single speciesthroughout this distribution, it comprises numerous populations that show a varying degree of intermixing. The haddock around Iceland are more or less isolated from neighbouring haddock stocks by the deep water of the Denmark Strait to the west, the Faroe–Iceland channel to the south-east and the Norwegian Sea in the east. Haddock are found throughout Icelandic waters, but mostly along the south and west coasts at depths less than 200 m . The most important spawning grounds are off the south and south-western coast during April–May. From there, eggs and larvae drift clockwise, north then east with prevailing currents until they complete metamorphosis and settle in nursery areas in shallow coastal waters. Throughout its life, haddock is primarily a benthic feeders (worms and small molluscs) but as it grows it will also feed on small fish, particularly sandeels and capelin if they are abundant. With this preference for benthic species, haddock is more generally associated with sedimentary substrata than the hard bottoms favoured by cod (Gadus morhua). In terms of weight of fish landed in Iceland, haddock is the second most important demersal species.

More about the fishing methods

The Icelandic demersal fishing fleet comprises factory freezer trawlers, fresh-fish trawlers, Danish (Scottish fly) seiners, inshore and offshore longliners, gillnetters (including tangle net), auto-jigger and handliners – plus licensed recreational charter vessels that must have quota to meet their clients’ catches. The fleet employs some of the most sophisticated technology available for navigational and fish detection as well as the development of more effective fishing gear.

Demersal Trawlers
All demersal trawlers work as single-boat trawlers, i.e. there is no pair trawling. The majority of vessels land their fish gutted, on ice. The factory freezer trawlers fillet the fish at sea but only the guts are discarded; heads and carcasses are frozen for export, as are the fillets. There is one vessel currently working a semi-pelagic (bottomskimming) rig to assess its suitability for cod fishing. The remainder use more traditional rigging but with a variety of doors, bridles and sweep arrangement, chosen by the skipper.

Longliners
The Icelandic longline fleet still tends to favour traditional J–hooks rather than circle hooks. The line is shot (5–10 h) and once shot, the vessel immediately returns to the initial shoot position and begins hauling the same line. Thus, any fish caught is taken aboard less than 24 h after fishing commenced.

Danish seine
The Danish seine is a much lighter construction than the trawls favoured by Icelandic skippers and is only used on relatively flat sand or mud seabed without significant obstructions. Minimum mesh size varies between 135 and 155 mm, depending on the area being fished. The gear is shot away and once fully deployed is immediately hauled back to the boat. Icelandic fishermen use this fly-fishing technique thereby eliminating any risk of anchor-related environmental damage.

Gillnets
Haddock form a minor bycatch (< 1000 t) in a directed cod fishery carried out exclusively with bottom-set gillnets.

Pelagic trawl
Haddock contributes < 0.5% the total catch of this sector of the fleet. At the time of writing, one demersal trawler rigged with a semi-pelagic (bottom-skimming) trawl is being fished to assess its cod-catching performance and (reduced) fuel consumption.

Handline and auto-jiggers
These are basically the same method but, as the names imply, one is manual and the other automated. Both are characteristically small-boat (<10 m) methods used in coastal and shelf waters.

Small mesh trawlers
The small-mesh’ category includes vessels targeting nephrops andnorthern shrimp (Pandalus borealis). The construction of the trawl net and the associated ground gear are significantly lighter than the trawls typically used when targeting demersal fish species.

Purse seaine
Purse seines are used exclusively for the capture of pelagic species, principally herring and capelin.

Fishery tonnage

82,045 tonnes in 2009.

Commercial market

The export market for Icelandic haddock is dominated by the UK which takes about 65% of production. The rest is exported to a number of countries (France, Germany, Nigeria, Belgium, Netherlands and others) at low volumes.

Actual eligibility date

1 March 2011

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  North Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Location:  Icelandic Exclusive Economic Zone (200nm) within ICES V / FAO area 27
Fishing methods:  Demersal otter trawl, Danish seine, long line, hand line and gill net.
Vessels: 
Number of fisheries: 1

More about cod

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is found throughout the temperate and sub-Arctic waters of the North Atlantic from the Gulf of Maine on the east coast of North America, across southern Greenland, Iceland, Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, Baltic and southwards around the British Isles to the Bay of Biscay. Although it is a single species throughout this distribution, it comprises a multitude of populations that show a varying degree of intermixing. The cod around Iceland are more or less isolated from neighbouring cod stocks by the deep water of the Denmark Strait to the west, the Faroe–Iceland channel to the south-east and the Norwegian Sea in the east. scientifically assessed. In terms of weight of fish landed in Iceland, cod is the third most important species. Cod are found throughout the Icelandic waters, mostly at depths less than 200 m but extending down to c. 500 m in some areas. They spawn throughout this area but the most important spawning grounds are off the south-western coast in late winter. From there, eggs and larvae drift clockwise, north then east with prevailing currents until they complete metamorphosis and settle in nursery areas in the colder waters north-west, north and east of Iceland. As they grow, they move into deeper water gradually joining with the mature population. Across the stock as a whole, 50% of the population reach sexual maturity between 5 and 6 years of age – 5 years in the warmer water south of Iceland but 7 years to the north. In the colder water to the north of Iceland it takes 7 years for 50% of the juvenile to attain sexual maturity but only 5 years in the warmer water to the south.

More about the fishing methods

The Icelandic demersal fishing fleet comprises factory freezer trawlers, fresh-fish trawlers, Danish (Scottish fly) seiners, inshore and offshore longliners, gillnetters (including tangle net), auto-jigger and handliners – plus licensed recreational charter vessels that must have quota to meet their clients’ catches. The fleet employs some of the most sophisticated technology available for navigational and fish detection as well as the development of more effective fishing gear.

Demersal Trawlers
All demersal trawlers work as single-boat trawlers, i.e. there is no pair trawling. The majority of vessels land their fish gutted, on ice. The factory freezer trawlers fillet the fish at sea but only the guts are discarded; heads and carcasses are frozen for export, as are the fillets. There is one vessel currently working a semi-pelagic (bottomskimming) rig to assess its suitability for cod fishing. The remainder use more traditional rigging but with a variety of doors, bridles and sweep arrangement, chosen by the skipper.

Longliners
The Icelandic longline fleet still tends to favour traditional J–hooks rather than circle hooks. The line is shot (5–10 h) and once shot, the vessel immediately returns to the initial shoot position and begins hauling the same line. Thus, any fish caught is taken aboard less than 24 h after fishing commenced.

Danish Seine
The Danish seine is a much lighter construction than the trawls favoured by Icelandic skippers and is only used on relatively flat sand or mud seabed without significant obstructions. Minimum mesh size varies between 135 and 155 mm, depending on the area being fished. The gear is shot away and once fully deployed is immediately hauled back to the boat. Icelandic fishermen use this fly-fishing technique thereby eliminating any risk of anchor-related environmental damage.

Gillnets
The directed cod fishery is carried out exclusively with bottom-set gillnets. Cod is by far the dominant species taken by these vessels. The cod gillnet fishery is a highly selective, large-mesh [minimum 5½ inch (sic; 139.7 mm): maximum 8 inch (sic; 203.3 mm)] fishery yielding large fish.

Pelagic trawl
At the time of writing, one demersal trawler rigged with a semi-pelagic (bottom-skimming) trawl is being fished to assess its cod-catching performance and (reduced) fuel consumption.

Handline and auto-jiggers
These are basically the same method but, as the names imply, one is manual and the other automated. Both are characteristically small-boat (<10 m) methods used in coastal and shelf waters.

Small mesh trawlers
The small-mesh’ category includes vessels targeting nephrops andnorthern shrimp (Pandalus borealis). The construction of the trawl net and the associated ground gear are significantly lighter than the trawls typically used when targeting demersal fish species.

Purse seine
Purse seines are used exclusively for the capture of pelagic species, principally herring and
capelin. Cod prey heavily on both species

Fishery tonnage

181,151 tonnes in 2009

Commercial market

The main export markets for Icelandic cod are the UK (16%) and Spain (12%). These two countries have nearly always been among the top markets for cod products from Iceland with other western and southern European markets also of importance. Much of the exports to southern Europe is dried and salted. There is also a large market for dried cod in Nigeria.

Actual eligibility date

1 March 2011

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Atlantic Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
Location:  Atlantic Canadian EEZ and international waters within the ICCAT Northern Swordfish Boundary Area (North of 5N and west of 30oW)
Fishing methods:  Pelagic Longline
Vessels:  77
Number of fisheries: 1

More about swordfish

Swordfish are highly migratory species and their distribution is influenced by environmental conditions, in particular water temperature.  Therefore, their presence in Canadian waters is often seasonal and distribution is closely related to cycles in water temperature.  While in Canadian waters, individuals feed heavily but there are no records of reproduction. Swordfish have been observed spawning in the Atlantic Ocean, in water less than 250 ft. (75 m) deep.  Estimates vary considerably, but females may carry from 1 million to 29 million eggs in their gonads.  Solitary males and females appear to pair up during the spawning season. Swordfish exhibit sexual dimorphism of growth; with males growing more slowly and reaching a lower asymptotic length than females. Growth is very rapid during the first year of the lifecycle and then slows considerably. Swordfish are known as apex predators, located at the top of the food chain with no real predators in the wild. Younger swordfish may be preyed upon by sharks and larger predatory fishes. and deep-water fish.  Adults are believed to feed throughout the water column, and undertake diurnal migrations, rising to the surface mixed layer at night and descending to deeper waters during day to feed on fishes and squids.Smaller prey is generally eaten whole, while larger prey is often observed with slash marks from the swordfish rostrum.  It still remains unclear when and how often the bill is used during feeding.

More about the fishing methods

Pelagic longlining occurs throughout the worlds’ oceans, and has been used as a method of harvest since the 19th century.  This gear type involves the use of a main fishing line with a series of shorter lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.  A string of longline gear is deployed off the vessel as the vessel slowly runs over the fishing grounds.  Buoy lines are attached to both ends of the longline and fastened to brightly colored floats and flags that mark the location of the gear at the surface.  Longline gear may be demersal, set at the seabed, or pelagic, suspended from a line drifting freely at the surface. The lines are set near the surface, suspended over depths greater than 150 meters.  The lines are not anchored and may drift from the original setting location. In this fishery, an average of 30-50 miles of gear is set per night, with the number of hooks per set ranging between 600 and 1,100.Hooks are baited with mackerel or squid, depending on the target species. During an average 14 day trip, up to 10 sets will be deployed.  

Fishery tonnage

1061.4 t in 2009

Commercial market

Over 90% of the swordfish landed in Atlantic Canada is exported to the United States.  All products are shipped to fresh markets in a headed and gutted form.

Actual eligibility date

19 April 2012

Certified as sustainable in April 2012. 

Summary

Species:  Cod (Gadus morhua) & haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)
Location:  North East Arctic – ICES Sub Areas I and II
Fishing methods:  Demersal otter trawl
Vessels:  Comapêche: 1 & Euronor: 3
Number of fisheries: 2

More about SPECIES COMMON NAME

Cod (Gadus morhua) is the most iconic fishery species of the north Atlantic. Cod can be found from the surface down to around 600m depth, but is most abundant between 150m and 200m (8). They are generalist demersal carnivores, feeding on any invertebrates or fish of the appropriate size, including capelin, argentine, pout, sand eels and juveniles of other demersal species, including cod.

Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) has a similar geographic range to cod, althoughperhaps with a slightly more southerly core – it is rare around Greenland and reaches alittle further south along the east coast of North America (9). Haddock also tends to befound slightly shallower than cod, preferring a depth range of ~75-200m, although it canalso be found down to 600m (10). Nonetheless, its ecology is similar to that of cod, towhich it is closely related. Haddock are also generalist demersal carnivores that feed onboth invertebrates and fish. They are, however, more likely to feed demersally on benthicinvertebrates than cod, which are more strongly piscivorous (11). 

More about the fishing methods

The three Euronor vessels in the Unit of Certification use otter boards (trawl doors) of 2300 kg, 3.6m x 2.3m (8.3m2), with 140mm mesh. The Grande Hermine uses 2000 kg trawl doors of 7.2m2. The Grande Hermine uses 140mm mesh in winter and 150mm in summer, since in their experience this helps to avoid catching juvenile fish during the summer. The legal minimum mesh size is 130mm. The trawl must also include a sorting grid, and Euronor and the Grande Hermine use one with an 80mm grill, although regulations require a 50mm grill. This also helps to eliminate small fish without damage. For fishing at Bear Island an escapement panel of 160-170mm square mesh, measuring 7 squares by 20 squares is also used during the period late June and July, again to eliminate juvenile fish.

Fishery tonnage

In 2010:
2705 tonnes of cod & 581 tonnes of haddock for Comapêche
999 tonnes of cod & 98 tonnes of haddock for Euronor

Commercial market

France and western Europe

Actual eligibility date

1 January 2012