SCOTTISH FISHERIES SUSTAINABLE ACCREDITATION GROUP

THE SCOTTISH FISHERIES SUSTAINABLE ACCREDITATION GROUP (SFSAG) WAS SET UP IN 2008 TO REPRESENT STAKEHOLDERS WITH CATCHING AND MARKETING INTERESTS IN THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY.

THE GROUP WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE A COLLECTIVE BODY SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF CATCHING ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN DEMERSAL FISHING IN THE NORTH SEA AND WEST OF SCOTLAND.

One of the primary aims of the group is to support sustainable management and exploitation of the demersal fisheries in which they operate. As such, the group provides an ideal platform with which to develop and pursue a sustainable certification programme for commercially important demersal fisheries.

The group appreciates that the UK and international marketplace is constantly seeking responsible and sustainable supplies of premium quality seafood. The focus of the group is to develop and achieve a programme of sustainable Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification which is intended to maximise the benefit for the supply chain and industry as a whole.

Through this activity, the group aims to maintain a range of MSC certified stocks which will enhance the reputation and market preference for these species, and provide additional environmental standing for seafood generally. This will greatly support industry to market the sustainable provenance alongside the high quality reputation with which Scottish whitefish is rightly renowned.

> GROUP POLICY

MEMBERS INFORMATION

MEMBERS OF THE SCOTTISH FISHERIES SUSTAINABLE ACCREDITATION GROUP (SFSAG) REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE SCOTTISH DEMERSAL INDUSTRY OPERATING IN THE MIXED DEMERSAL FISHERIES OF THE NORTH SEA AND WEST OF SCOTLAND.

THE COLLECTIVE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ARE:

Scottish White Fish Producers Association
www.swfpa.com
Tel: 01346 514545
Email: lianne@swfpa.com


Aberdeen Fish Producers Organisation
www.afpo.co.uk
Tel: 01224 624005
Email: david@afpo.co.uk


Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers Organisation
Tel: 01289 306873
Email: andrew@asfpo.com


Fife Fish Producers Organisation
Tel: 01333 311474
Email: james.fyall@btconnect.com


Fishermen’s Mutual Association (Pittenweem)
Tel: 01333 311263
Email: admin@kingdomseafood.co.uk


North East of Scotland Fishermen’s Organisation
www.nesfo.co.uk/
Tel: 01779 478731
Email: anne.birnie@nesfo.co.uk


Northern Producers Organisation
www.northernpo.co.uk/
Tel: 01346 511185
Email: office@northernpo.co.uk


The Fish Producers’ Organisation
Tel: 01482 307502
Email: Jane@ukfisheries.net


Orkney Fish Producers Organisation
Tel: 01856 871818
Email: orkneypo@btconnect.com


Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation
www.scottishfishermen.co.uk
Tel: 0131 3397972
Email: john.anderson@scottishfishermen.co.uk


Shetland Fish Producers Organisation
www.shetlandfishermen.com
Tel: 01595 693197
Email: info@shetlandfishermen.com


Eastern England Fish Producers’ Organisation
Tel: 01947 605888
Email: eefpoltd@gmail.com


Lunar FPO Ltd
www.lunarfreezing.co.uk
Tel: 01779 477446
Email: robert@lunarfreezing.co.uk


MSC CERTIFIED STOCK

CONSUMERS AND SUPPLY CHAINS DEMAND HIGH QUALITY SEAFOOD AND EXPECT IT TO BE HARVESTED FROM SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLY MANAGED STOCKS, PROVIDING SEAFOOD WITHOUT OVER FISHING OR ADVERSELY DAMAGING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has developed an environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries which provides independent certification of commercially exploited fisheries and stocks.

The SFSAG has pursued the goal of MSC sustainable certification for key Scottish whitefish species. It continues to work progressively with wider stakeholders in the industry to improve the sustainable offering of Scottish whitefish stocks. In doing so, it has developed a programme of sustainable development; this programme has delivered MSC certification for Scottish North Sea haddock, and Scottish saithe.

The group has now undertaken to certify the North Sea cod fishery, and continually reviews opportunities to widen this programme for the benefit of both the Scottish industry and the markets which seek supplies of Scottish seafood.

NORTHERN DEMERSAL STOCKS

THE SFSAG NORTH SEA HADDOCK FISHERY WAS ORIGINALLY CERTIFIED TO THE MSC STANDARD ON 29TH OCTOBER 2010.

IN THE MSC CERTIFICATION COVERS THE CLIENT FLEET FISHING BY TRAWL OR SEINE NET IN THE NORTH SEA (ICES SUB AREA IVA & IVB).

YEAR : 2017*
CATCH: 93475 tonnes
VALUE: approx. £35.1 million

Species
Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Whiting (Merlangius merlangus), Hake (European) (Merluccius merluccius), Plaice (European) (Pleuronectes platessa), Saithe (Pollachius virens)

Gear type
Seine Nets – Boat or vessel seines – Danish seines, Seine Nets – Boat or vessel seines – pair seines, Trawls – Bottom trawls, Trawls – Bottom trawls – pair trawls

A copy of the MSC certificate for this fishery can be downloaded.

> MSC CERTIFICATE

MSC INFORMATION

Further information can be accessed from the MSC website on this fishery and its successful re-certification.

> MSC WEBSITE

SFSAG VESSEL LIST

The SFSAG client fleet of eligible vessels landing MSC certified North Sea haddock can be downloaded here

> SFSAG VESSEL LIST
* Provisional Sea Fisheries Statistics 2015

NORTH SEA & WEST OF SCOTLAND SAITHE

THE SFSAG NORTH SEA & WEST OF SCOTLAND SAITHE FISHERY WAS MSC CERTIFIED ON 3RD OCTOBER 2013.

THE MSC CERTIFICATION COVERS THE CLIENT FLEET FISHING BY TRAWL OR SEINE NET IN THE NORTH SEA (ICES SUB AREA IVA & IVB) AND WEST OF SCOTLAND (ICES AREA VI).

Saithe is now included in the Northern Demersals Certificate above.

YEAR : 2015*
CATCH: approx. 8,000 tonnes V
ALUE: approx. £7 million

Scottish saithe is a valuable whitefish species for the Scottish industry; in 2015* the Scottish fleet caught approximately 8,000 tonnes of saithe with a value of around £7 million.

A copy of the MSC certificate for this fishery can be downloaded.

> MSC CERTIFICATE

MSC INFORMATION

Further information can be accessed from the MSC website for this fishery.

> MSC WEBSITE

SFSAG VESSEL LIST

The SFSAG client fleet of eligible vessels landing MSC certified North Sea and West of Scotland saithe can be downloaded here.

> SFSAG VESSEL LIST
*Provisional Sea Fisheries Statistics 2015

NORTH SEA COD

North Sea Cod was suspended in 2019 and is now In a Fishery Improvement Programme Find out More

MSC INFORMATION

Further information can be accessed from the MSC website for this fishery.

> MSC WEBSITE

SFSAG VESSEL LIST

The SFSAG client fleet of eligible vessels landing MSC certified North Sea Cod can be downloaded here.

> SFSAG VESSEL LIST
*Provisional Sea Fisheries Statistics 2015

VOLUNTARY CODES OF CONDUCT

Fladen Grounds, further information can be read below:

> SFSAG Voluntary Code Info
> Fladen Grounds Closed Area Process

ROCKALL HADDOCK

Rockall Haddock is no longer MSC certified

Haddock is the most important demersal whitefish species to Scottish fishermen. Over 27,000 tonnes of haddock were landed into Scotland by Scottish vessels in 2015 worth £37 million. Almost 4,000 tonnes of this is Rockall haddock.

> Fishery Suspension Information

SFSAG VESSEL LIST

The SFSAG client fleet of eligible vessels landing MSC certified North Sea Cod can be downloaded here.

> SFSAG VESSEL LIST
*Provisional Sea Fisheries Statistics 2015

VOLUNTARY CODES OF CONDUCT

Rockall Bank, further information can be read below:

> SFSAG Voluntary Code Info

UNDERGOING CERTIFICATION

FUTURE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
INFORMATION CONCERNING KEY
DEMERSAL SCOTTISH FISHERIES ENTERING AND PROGRESSING TOWARDS MSC CERTIFICATION WILL BE FOUND HERE

 
 

GROUP POLICY

INTRODUCTION

The Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG) was set up in 2008 following moves to take a range of species through the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) process.

The Group represents members from the UK seafood industry. The group feels strongly that by extending the unit of certification to cover most of the active fleet; the benefits are greater and more readily accessible to the supply chain.

The group recognises that like many commercial fisheries across the world, those in Scotland have experienced increased pressure in the marketplace to demonstrate responsible and sustainable activities. Sustainability through a transparent supply chain creates well informed consumers, which in turn has driven increased demand for sustainably sourced seafood.

The formation of this group is a direct response to these demands, it is hoped that MSC accreditation will help to maximise the benefit of these demersal fisheries to the industry as a whole.

CONTACT US

GROUP CO-ORDINATOR
Jennifer Mouat
Tel: 07825 818271
Email: info@eefpo.org.uk

GROUP CHAIRMAN
Mike Park
Tel: 01430 660015