Summary

Species:  North Sea herring (Clupea harengus)
Location:  The North Sea herring (Clupea harengus) stock extends from the Norwegian coast into the North Sea and through to the eastern Channel, and comprises three main sub-stocks. The Scottish fleet mainly exploits the Buchan sub-stock of herring, located in the central and north North Sea – all within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the EU and Norway.
Fishing methods:  Mid-water trawl.
Number of fisheries: 1

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 Fishery Fact Sheet

Download the SPSG North Sea herring fishery fact sheet for A4 paper (pdf, 160kb)

Commercial market

The North Sea herring fishery is used for human consumption not for reduction to fishmeal. Much of the North Sea herring which is landed is processed locally before being frozen for export to significant markets in Eastern Europe, Russia and former Soviet republics and West Africa.

More information coming soon.

The fishery scored as follows in assessment against the MSC standard for sustainable fishing. The highest possible score for each principle is 100 and a fishery must score at least 80 against each principle to get certified: 

Sustainability strengths

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

Principle 1: the state of the fish stock

• The species is readily identified by fishers and by regulators and is recorded appropriately.
• Selectivity of gear types are well estimated by size, sex and maturity.
  

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

• The nature, sensitivity and the distribution of all habitats relevant to the fishing operations are known in detail. Information is recent. The distribution of fishing operations and their effort is  monitored.It is known that the direct and indirect effects of fishing on threatened and  endangered species are within clearly defined and acceptable limits.
• Information is available on all nontarget species directly affected by the fishery including the  distribution and ecology. Accurate records are kept on the nature and extent of all bycatch species including species size and sex composition.

Principle 3: the fishery management systems

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: 

• Active lobbying and support for the setting of TACs within the boundaries of the harvest control rule, with fishing mortalities set significantly above the target, undertaken.
• Active support for research into the survival rates of slipped fish provided.
• Record all incidences of slippage.

The fishery: Unit of certification

The certified Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group Ltd North Sea herring fishery is defined as:

Surveillance 3: Completed August 2011

Surveillance report No.3 - 11th August 2011

Stakeholder Notification: Surveillance audit planned - 22nd March 2011

Surveillance 2: Completed June 2010

Surveillance report No.2 - 25th June 2010

Stakeholder Notification: Surveillance audit planned - 29th April 2010

Surveillance 1: Completed July 2009

Surveillance report No.1 - 10th July 2009

Stakeholder Notification: Surveillance audit planned - 2nd April 2009

Initial assessment: Certified 9th July 2008

Certificates: Compliance with the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable fishing

Certificate of compliance F-FCI-00002 (revised vessel list) - Valid 15th July 2000 to 14th July 2013

Certificate of compliance F-FCI-00002 - Valid 15th July 2000 to 14th July 2013

Stage 7: Public certification report and certificate issue

Stage 6: Final report and determination

The client for this certification is the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group Ltd (SPSG), a grouping of all Scottish pelagic producers, producer organisations and trade associations, and the main pelagic processors. 

Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group Ltd

1 Firthside Street
Fraserburgh
Aberdeenshire
AB43 9AR

Contact: Derek Duthie, Company Secretary
Tel: +44 (0) 1346 510714
Fax: +44 (0) 1346 510614

spfa@btconnect.com

Certification Body

Food Certification International Ltd

Findhorn House
Dochfour Business Centre
Dochgarroch
Inverness
Scotland IV3 8GY

Contact: Martin Gill, Executive Director or Melissa McFadden
Tel: +44(0) 1463 223 039
Fax: +44(0) 1463 246 380

martin.gill@foodcertint.com or
melissa.mcfadden@foodcertint.com

www.foodcertint.com

Meet the SPSG North Sea herring fishers

More information coming soon.