Sustainability notes

This is an overview of how the Norwegian North Sea saithe fishery scored in assessment against the MSC standard. For the certifiers evaluation please download the full public certification report  with detailed information on the performance of this fishery against the criteria of the MSC environmental standard for sustainable fishing.

The fishery scored as follows in assessment against the MSC standard for sustainable fishing (please note that five gear types were assessed individually within this assessment). The highest possible score for each principle is 100 and a fishery must score at least 80 against each principle to get certified: 

Trawl 

Purse Seine

Gill Net

Danish Seine

Handline

Sustainability strengths

Some points on which the fishery scored over 90 are outlined below. 

Principle 1: the state of the fish stock

• Abundance of the stock is clearly understood through the use of multiple indices of of abundance
• Responsive, relevant and timely management tools using accurate and thorough information from the fishery provide a mangement system well aligned with the overall fishery objectives
• Data strongly indicate a robust age, sex and genetic structure in the stock, such that would maintain reproductive capacity

Principle 2: the impact of the fishery on the marine environment

• Knowledge of the food web and the role of saithe in that food web is well advanced
• The physical impacts on the habitat have been studied and quantified and no unacceptable impacts have been demonstrated

Principle 3: the fishery management systems

• The overall management system has clearly defined responsibility, is consistent with international conventions and agreements and is subject to regular internal and external review 
• Research priorities are cearly defined and appropriate resources are available to undertake the required research

Challenges

In order to ensure its continuing sustainable operation this fishery made a commitment to improving its performance where it scored between 60-80. Some of the actions the fishery has committed to are:  

• Additional research to quantify and reduce the uncertainty identified retrospectively in the stock assessment results 
• Sampling programmes to be initiated that provide more robust estimates of the bycatch of all species in the fishery
• An assessment of the potential impacts of saithe directed fishing within coral protection areas