SSMO Shetland inshore brown & velvet crab, lobster and scallop fishery
Last Updated: 20 December 2011
Number of fisheries: 4
Species
Brown crab (Cancer pagurus)
Velvet crab (Necora puber)
European lobster (Homarus gammarus)
King scallops (Pecten maximus).
MSC assessment status
Following a 30-day period of comment on the Draft Report for the SSMO Shetland inshore brown & velvet crab, lobster and scallop fishery, the Certification 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 SSMO Shetland inshore brown & velvet crab and scallop fishery should be certified in accordance with the MSC Standard. The SSMO Shetland lobster fishery should NOT be certified according to 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, 13 January 2012.
Please refer to the downloads section for further information.
Fishery location
FAO Statistical Area 27, in EU waters-ICES Areas IVa which is within 6 nautical miles of Shetland.
Fishing method
Creel/Pots (static gear): Brown crab, Velvet crab, and European lobster
Scallop Dredge (mobile gear): King scallops
Fishery management
The Shetland Inshore Shellfish Fishery is managed through the Shetland Regulation Order, a local fisheries management tool that was introduced in the UK Government’s 1967 Fisheries (Shellfish) Act. This places the responsibility for managing a sustainable fishery on local stakeholders, including fishermen, conservationists, scientists and local authority representatives.
Commercial market
Velvet Crab is exported live to the European market as are lobster. Brown crab is processed for caned product as well as frozen for European and domestic market. Scallops are sold shucked, fresh to the European and domestic market.
Assessment timeline
The assessment process is expected to take 12 months and is scheduled for completion around August 2011. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
The target eligibility date for this fishery will be determined bu the announcement of the Public Comment Draft Report.
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
Landings for 2009:
Brown crab: 210.48 tonnes
Velvet crab: 315.91 tonnes
European lobster: 20.7 tonnes
Scallops: 259,9353 total catch (not tonnage)
