The press communiqué of UK Fisheries states that the certification follows a 17 month assessment by independent certifier, MEP. The fishery can use the label on saithe caught by the group’s vessels in the northern North Sea, the Kattegat and the west of Scotland.
After getting the certificate the fishery has committed to developing a partial strategy to habitat monitoring in fishing areas and to put in place a system to avoid fishing in sensitive habitats within three years. Nigel Atkins, Chairman of UK Fisheries said that it is pleasure to have MSC certification which rewards the responsible management practices employed by our skippers, which together with the rigours of the EU/Norway joint management plan has combined to produce a stock in robust health.
Atkins said that the demand of saithe is rising and the demand for sustainable fished saithe is more demanding. He also added that the fishery confident that markets throughout Europe will respond favourably to MSC certification. Claire Pescod, UK Fisheries Outreach Manager for the MSC comment that the certification of UK Fisheries, DFFU and Doggerbank Group saithe confirms their commitment to sustainability. He added that the fishery has shown that – through international collaboration and the hard work of fishermen – great things can be achieved in maintaining and improving the health of the saithe fishery.
