Certifier : 
LRQA (Seafood) Limited
Certified status : 
Certified
Certified since : 
24 Jun 2011
Certificate expires : 
18 Jun 2027

Overview

Fisheries are composed of one or more parts, each of which is entitled to receive an MSC certificate. These parts or “units” are defined by their target stock(s), fishing gear type(s) and if relevant vessel type(s), and the fishing fleets or groups of vessels.

When the term “Unit of Certification” is used for fishing units that are in assessment, it refers to the “Unit of Assessment” or “Unit of potential certification”. Expand a status below to view the parts that form this fishery. To check the detailed scope, download the latest certificate or open the Assessments page to get the latest report. Find out more by visiting our page on Fisheries

Units of Certification & Certificate Information

  • Certified
    MSC UoC Number Species Gear Type Ocean Area Certificate Code
    UoC-0488 Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) Trawls - Bottom trawls - shrimp trawls 18 (Arctic Sea), 21 (Atlantic, Northwest) MSC-F-31284 (F-ACO-0112)
    UoC-1339 Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) Trawls - Bottom trawls - shrimp trawls 21 (Atlantic, Northwest) MSC-F-31284 (F-ACO-0112)
    UoC-1338 Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) Trawls - Bottom trawls - shrimp trawls 21 (Atlantic, Northwest) MSC-F-31284 (F-ACO-0112)
    UoC-0092 Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) Trawls - Bottom trawls - shrimp trawls 21 (Atlantic, Northwest) MSC-F-31284 (F-ACO-0112)
    UoC-0091 Striped shrimp (Pandalus montagui) Trawls - Bottom trawls - shrimp trawls 18 (Arctic Sea), 21 (Atlantic, Northwest) MSC-F-31284 (F-ACO-0112)

View glossary of terms

Catch by Species

Species Reported Catch Year Metric Tonnes
Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) 2023 46,513
Striped shrimp (Pandalus montagui) 2023 15,819

Information is provided by an independent Conformity Assessment Body as live weight (the weight of species at the time of catch, before processing) and where a fishing season covers multiple years, the end year is given as the reported catch year. Additional information is available in the latest report, see the assessments page.

Eligibility, client groups and vessel lists

A fishery may choose to define the members of the fishery certificate. These members can be vessels or other client group members (e.g. companies that own vessels and/or companies that are named as eligible to handle certified product covered within the fishery certificate scope). Please refer to the fishery certificate statement on additional product specific eligibility criteria (e.g. product eligibility limitations, eligibility date, exclusive points of landing and the point where Chain of Custody certificate is required). Please consult the fishery Public Certification Report for product eligibility rationale.

Documents Published on Files
Vessel List 09 Sep 2019 1 files

About this Fishery

Two species of Pandalus (prawn/shrimp) are harvested in Canadian waters of the northwest Atlantic. Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) is much more abundant and widespread in commercial quantities, and is the subject of most of the studies and assessments. Striped shrimp (Pandalus montagui), although widely distributed from Davis Strait to the Grand Banks, is most abundant in more northerly areas and at shallower depths.

A total of 13 vessels operate in the two fisheries. They use demersal (bottom) otter trawls, with a minimum mesh size of 40mm. Nets are fitted with a Nordmore separator grate. Shrimp pass through the grate, but other fish are directed upwards to an exit window in the upper panel. The grate is mandatory in all fishing areas.

Market Information

Most of the shrimp is sold as frozen-at-sea, raw or cooked with the shell on. It is marketed primarily in Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan and Western Europe.