Germany Eastern Baltic cod
Last Updated: 22nd July 2010
Number of fisheries: 1
Species
European cod (Gadus morhua)
MSC assessment status
The certification body, Food Certification International Ltd. (FCI), has announced that the Germany Eastern Baltic cod fishery is now entering the information gathering phase of the assessment. The primary objective of this stage is to collect information on the fishery and in particular to speak to representatives of the fishery, fishery management bodies and other stakeholders of the fishery. Meetings will be carried out over the period 17th to the 19th of August 2010 in Hamburg, Sassnitz and Rostock.
Any stakeholder with information on this fishery that should be considered in the assessment, or who wishes to meet with FCI should contact Melissa McFadden, no later than 2nd August 2010.
Please refer to the downloads section for further information.
Fishery location
ICES areas 25 – 32 (Eastern Baltic Sea).
Fishing method
Bottom trawl, Semi pelagic trawl and Pelagic trawls.
Fishery management
Baltic fisheries are managed by the EU Member States through the EU Council of ministers using a combined TAC and effort management system. ICES provide the scientific advice for commercially exploited fish stocks in the Baltic Sea.
Commercial market
The fleet under assessment lands cod to German ports on the Baltic coast, principally at Sassnitz and Mukran. The fish are processed here for onward transport to domestic and export markets.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is expected to take 12 months and is scheduled for completion in or around November 2010. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery is the 1st January 2010.
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
The 2008 landings for the Germany Eastern Baltic cod fishery was 1,396 mt
