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MSC Fisheries
Are you looking for the MSC's main site? Go to msc.org
Marine Stewardship Council

DFPO, DPPO and VSF North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat sandeel, sprat and Norway pout

Certifier : 
MRAG Americas, Inc.
Certified status : 
Certified
Certified since : 
23 Mar 2017
Certificate expires : 
06 May 2030

Assessments

The MSC Fisheries Standard is used to assess if a fishery is well-managed and sustainable. More about how the standard is used, what is assessed and the process.

Interested in contributing as a stakeholder? See how you can engage with a fishery assessment.

  • Recently uploaded documents
    Documents Published On Files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Client Name Change 03 Oct 2026 1 files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Site Visit Extended 21 Aug 2026 1 files
    Surveillance audit announcement 17 Jul 2026 1 files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Surveillance Audit Delayed 07 May 2026 1 files
    Public certification report 07 May 2025 1 files
    Public certification report announcement 07 May 2025 1 files
    Certificate Holder Forced and Child Labour Policies, Practices and Measures Template 06 May 2025 2 files
  • General Fishery Documents
    Document Title File Type Published On
    Stakeholder Announcement: Client Name Change PDF (166.12 Kb) 03 Oct 2026
    Stakeholder Announcement: Site Visit Extended PDF (162.22 Kb) 21 Aug 2026
    Stakeholder Announcement: Surveillance Audit Delayed PDF (176.84 Kb) 07 May 2026
    Stakeholder Announcement: Withdrawal of fishery PDF (113.24 Kb) 07 Dec 2022
    Notice of Intent to suspend PDF (189.56 Kb) 18 Aug 2022
    Variation Response PDF (153.62 Kb) 20 Dec 2021
    Variation Request PDF (185.24 Kb) 13 Dec 2021
    List of client group members PDF (191.29 Kb) 05 Feb 2020
    Notice of Intent to suspend PDF (170.46 Kb) 20 Jun 2019
    Certificate Holder Forced and Child Labour Policies, Practices and Measures Template PDF (226.92 Kb) 12 Jun 2019
    Stakeholder Announcement: reinstatement of sandeel area 2R PDF (216.24 Kb) 29 Mar 2018
    Notice of Intent to suspend PDF (92.63 Kb) 02 Aug 2017
    Stakeholder Announcement: other sandeel species UoA PDF (253.64 Kb) 23 Feb 2017
    Variation Response PDF (240.83 Kb) 15 Feb 2017
    Variation Request PDF (311.54 Kb) 20 Dec 2016
  • Initial assessment (started 2023)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Public Certification Report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public certification report 07 May 2025 1 files
    Public certification report announcement 07 May 2025 1 files

    There was an objection accepted to the final report and determination for this fishery.
    The Independent Adjudicator’s final decision is included in the Public Certification Report.
    Please email standards@msc.org to request the documents related to this objection.

    Other Documents Published on Files
    Certificate Holder Forced and Child Labour Policies, Practices and Measures Template 06 May 2025 2 files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Objection notificaiton 06 May 2025 1 files

    Final Draft Report and determination

    Documents Published on Files
    Final draft report and determination 16 Oct 2024 1 files
    Final draft report and determination announcement 16 Oct 2024 1 files

    Public Comment Draft Report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public comment draft report 14 Aug 2024 1 files
    Public comment draft report announcement 14 Aug 2024 1 files

    Peer review

    Documents Published on Files
    Proposed Peer Reviewers 01 Nov 2023 1 files

    Announcement Comment Draft Report and stakeholder input

    Documents Published on Files
    Announcement Comment Draft Report 28 Apr 2023 1 files
    Stakeholder Input (ACDR) 14 Jul 2023 1 files

    Fishery announcement

    Documents Published on Files
    Fishery announcement template 10 Jul 2023 1 files
    Use of the RBF 28 Apr 2023 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Site visit date change 10 Jul 2023 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Assessment timeline 06 Aug 2024 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2026)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 17 Jul 2026 1 files
  • Initial assessment (started 2015)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1957 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Public certification report and certificate issue

    Documents Published on Files
    Public certification report 23 Mar 2017 2 files
    Public certification report announcement 20 Mar 2017 1 files

    Final assessment report and determination

    Documents Published on Files
    Final report and determination 23 Feb 2017 1 files
    Final report and determination announcement 23 Feb 2017 1 files

    Public review of the draft assessment report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public comment draft report 12 Jan 2017 1 files
    Public comment draft report announcement 12 Jan 2017 1 files

    Client and peer review

    Documents Published on Files
    Proposed peer reviewers 08 Mar 2016 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Additional information gathering stage 10 May 2016 1 files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Revised RBF notification_USE 15 Jan 2016 1 files

    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation

    Documents Published on Files
    Fishery announcement template 24 Mar 2015 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 16 Feb 2017 1 files
    Variation Response 16 Feb 2017 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation 17 Nov 2016 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2022)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1957 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 17 Mar 2022 1 files
    Surveillance report 19 Aug 2022 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2020)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1957 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 06 Feb 2020 1 files
    Surveillance report 06 Apr 2020 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2019)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1957 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 16 Apr 2019 1 files
    Surveillance report 16 Jul 2019 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Other document: Corrective Action Plan acceptance 22 Oct 2019 1 files
    Other document: UoCs: Sandeel 1r and 2r Client Action Plan 01 Oct 2019 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2018)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1245 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1244 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1240 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1242 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1238 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1241 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1243 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1957 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 30 Jan 2018 1 files
    Surveillance report 04 May 2018 1 files
  • Expedited Audit (started 2017)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1239 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Announcement expedited audit 24 May 2017 1 files
    Expedited audit report 01 Aug 2017 1 files
  • Scope Extension (started 2017)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-1633 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Surrounding Nets - With purse lines (purse seines) 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1632 European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1627 Lesser sand-eel (Ammodytes marinus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1626 Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1631 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1629 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1628 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1630 Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Expedited audit announcement

    Documents Published on Files
    Notification statement 24 May 2017 1 files
    Expedited assessment announcement 24 May 2017 1 files
    Gap Analysis 24 May 2017 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Expedited audit announcement 13 Feb 2018 1 files