DFPO Denmark North Sea sole
Last Updated: 24 April 2012
Number of fisheries: 1
Species
Sole (solea solea)
MSC assessment status
Following a 30-day period of comment on the Draft Report for the DFPO Denmark North Sea Sole fishery, the Conformity Assessment Body, Food Certification International Ltd, has met to consider the report of the assessment team, the report of the Peer Review panel and all stakeholder comments. The Determination reached by the certification body is that the DFPO Denmark North Sea Sole fishery should be certified in accordance with the MSC Standard. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A DETERMINATION, NOT A FINAL CERTIFICATION RESULT. THIS FISHERY IS THEREFORE NOT YET CERTIFIED, NOR IS IT ABLE TO USE THE MSC ECOLABEL ON ANY PRODUCTS.
There is now a 15 working day period during which a party may lodge a notice of objection to the determinations reached. For further information on the objections process, including the grounds upon which an objection can be made, please email objections@msc.org or write to the MSC London Office (Please follow this link for the MSC London Office address).
Any intent to file an objection should first be addressed to the Independent Adjudicator care of the MSC's Chief Executive, Mr Rupert Howes at the email address objections@msc.org, by 5pm GMT, 16 May 2012.
Please see the assessment downloads for further information.
Fishery location
North Sea, FAO statistical area 27, ICES Area IV.
Fishing method
Demersal Trawl, Set Nets (Gill and Trammel)
Fishery management
Managed by the EU Member States through the EU Council of ministers using a TAC system. ICES provide the scientific advice for commercially exploited fish stocks in the North Sea. At sea and landings inspections carried out by EU national enforcement agencies (in Danish waters by the Danish Fisheries Directorate) and Norwegian coastguard.
Commercial market
Sole is mainly exported as chilled fish to the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is expected to take 12 months and is scheduled for completion around January 2012. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery is the 1st April 2011
The MSC ecolabel can only be applied to product from certified fisheries. The MSC program does allow, in certain circumstances and within strict traceability requirements, the MSC ecolabel to be applied following certification to product caught before the actual date of certification. The target eligibility date therefore represents the date from which products may become eligible to carry the MSC ecolabel, however they cannot be sold until and if the fishery is certified. The actual eligibility date will be determined if the fishery is certified to the MSC standard.
To find out more about when fish from this fishery may be sold with the MSC ecolabel, please follow this link (http://www.msc.org/get-certified/supply-chain/eligibility-dates).
Tonnage of the fishery
Approximately 400 tonnes in 2008 and 380 tonnes in 2009.
