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SPPO North Sea herring

MSC status

The North Sea herring component of this fishery was certified as sustainable on May 26th 2010. 

Summary

Species: Herring (Clupea harengus)
Location: North Sea (ICES Sub-area IV)
Fishing methods: Pelagic trawl
Vessels: 12
Number of fisheries: 1

More about herring

This pelagic species is distributed widely throughout the North Sea. The herring’s unique habit is that it produces eggs which are attached to a gravelly matter on the seabed. This points to an evolutionary history in which herring spawned in rivers and at some later date re-adapted to the marine environment. The spawning grounds in the southern North Sea are the beds of rivers which existed in geological times and some groups of spring spawning herring still spawn in very shallow inshore waters and estuaries. Herring are mainly plankton feeders although they do eat some small fish.

More about the fishing methods

The fleet comprise a total of twelve vessels operating as pair trawlers. Their pair trawls have a spread of about 180m and a gape of 50m.

Fishery tonnage

Landings in 2007 totalled 15,448 tonnes of which 7,658 tonnes were taken in division IVa West,640t tonnes in IVa East and 7,150 tonnes in IVb.

Commercial market

Members of Sveriges Pelagiska Producent Organisation can sell their catch in Sweden or to buyers in other countries. Some of the catch may be delivered to Norwegian & Danish fish auctions. There is also industrial sale to Danish, Dutch and Swedish processing plants.

Actual eligibility date

30th November 2009

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