MSC Fisheries
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Marine Stewardship Council

ISF Icelandic summer spawning herring trawl and seine

Certifier : 
LRQA (Seafood) Limited
Certified status : 
Certified
Certified since : 
29 May 2014
Certificate expires : 
10 Nov 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.

Please note that the re-assessment (started 2018) of this fishery has been split into two assessments: 

  1. The Norwegian spring spawning herring trawl
  2. The Icelandic summer spawning herring trawl and seine

All documents related to both re-assessments/audits are available on this page.

  • Recently uploaded documents
    Documents Published On Files
    Public certification report 11 Nov 2025 1 files
    Public certification report announcement 11 Nov 2025 1 files
    Final Draft Report and determination announcement 28 Oct 2025 1 files
    Final Draft Report and determination 20 Oct 2025 1 files
    Public Comment Draft Report 16 Sep 2025 1 files
    Public Comment Draft Report announcement 16 Sep 2025 1 files
    Timeline: Timeline 06 May 2025 1 files
  • General Fishery Documents
    Document Title File Type Published On
    Stakeholder Announcement: Change to fishery name and change to a UoA/UoC PDF (146.89 Kb) 28 Jan 2022
    Stakeholder Announcement: Norwegian & Icelandic herring-Norwegian herring component_fishery withdrawal PDF (126.28 Kb) 17 Sep 2021
    Stakeholder Announcement: Separation of Icelandic summer spawning and Norwegian spring spawning components of fishery PDF (203.43 Kb) 20 Feb 2020
    Stakeholder Announcement PDF (111.75 Kb) 05 Nov 2019
    Variation Response PDF (127.20 Kb) 23 Oct 2019
    Variation Response PDF (127.20 Kb) 23 Oct 2019
    Variation Request PDF (247.29 Kb) 18 Oct 2019
    Stakeholder Announcement: Change in re-assessment team PDF (192.15 Kb) 02 Oct 2019
    Certificate Holder Forced and Child Labour Policies, Practices and Measures Template PDF (189.35 Kb) 23 Aug 2019
    Change of Conformity Assessment Body PDF (188.34 Kb) 12 Jul 2019
    List of client group members PDF (128.88 Kb) 08 Jul 2019
    List of client group members PDF (126.01 Kb) 24 May 2019
    Variation Response PDF (127.77 Kb) 08 May 2019
    Variation Request PDF (153.21 Kb) 02 May 2019
    Variation Response PDF (127.76 Kb) 01 Apr 2019
    Variation Response PDF (127.76 Kb) 01 Apr 2019
    Variation Request PDF (144.22 Kb) 21 Mar 2019
    Variation Request PDF (144.22 Kb) 21 Mar 2019
    Variation Request PDF (144.22 Kb) 21 Mar 2019
    List of client group members PDF (125.46 Kb) 15 Mar 2019
    Variation Response PDF (129.02 Kb) 18 Feb 2019
    Variation Request PDF (187.55 Kb) 05 Feb 2019
    Variation Request PDF (187.55 Kb) 05 Feb 2019
    List of client group members PDF (124.84 Kb) 21 Jan 2019
    Variation Response PDF (427.17 Kb) 17 Dec 2018
    Variation Request PDF (217.03 Kb) 17 Dec 2018
    Variation Request PDF (217.03 Kb) 17 Dec 2018
    Variation Response PDF (431.91 Kb) 28 Nov 2018
    Variation Request PDF (164.32 Kb) 22 Nov 2018
    List of client group members PDF (126.59 Kb) 14 Jun 2018
    List of client group members PDF (126.47 Kb) 11 May 2018
    List of client group members PDF (128.20 Kb) 21 Feb 2018
    Variation Response PDF (246.58 Kb) 08 Aug 2017
    Variation Request PDF (270.00 Kb) 03 Aug 2017
  • Re-Assessment (started 2024)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Public Certification Report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public certification report announcement 11 Nov 2025 1 files
    Public certification report 11 Nov 2025 1 files

    Public Comment Draft Report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public Comment Draft Report announcement 16 Sep 2025 1 files
    Public Comment Draft Report 16 Sep 2025 1 files

    Peer review

    Documents Published on Files
    Proposed peer reviewers 12 Feb 2025 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Other document: IPI Announcement_AnnexPA 21 Jan 2025 1 files

    Announcement Comment Draft Report and stakeholder input

    Documents Published on Files
    Announcement Comment Draft Report 17 Oct 2024 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Certificate Holder Forced and Child Labour Policies, Practices and Measures Template 17 Oct 2024 1 files
    Variation Response 05 Nov 2024 1 files

    Timeline

    Documents Published on Files

    Final Draft Report and determination

    Documents Published on Files
    Final Draft Report and determination 20 Oct 2025 1 files
    Final Draft Report and determination announcement 28 Oct 2025 1 files

    Fishery announcement

    Documents Published on Files
    Scope declaration template 15 Oct 2024 1 files
    Fishery announcement template 17 Oct 2024 1 files
    Use of the RBF 21 Jan 2025 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 29 Oct 2024 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Timeline 06 May 2025 1 files
  • Re-Assessment (started 2018)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Public certification report and certificate issue

    Documents Published on Files
    Public certification report 09 Nov 2020 1 files
    Public certification report announcement 09 Nov 2020 1 files

    Final assessment report and determination

    Documents Published on Files
    Final report and determination 09 Oct 2020 1 files
    Final report and determination announcement 09 Oct 2020 1 files

    Public review of the draft assessment report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public comment draft report 21 Jul 2020 1 files
    Public comment draft report announcement 21 Jul 2020 1 files

    Client and peer review

    Documents Published on Files
    Proposed peer reviewers 22 Aug 2019 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 27 Mar 2020 1 files
    Variation Response 09 Apr 2020 1 files

    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation

    Documents Published on Files
    Fishery announcement template 07 Sep 2018 1 files
    Use of the RBF 09 Oct 2018 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Assessment timeline 07 Feb 2020 1 files
    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation 03 Mar 2020 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2024)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 17 Oct 2024 1 files
    Surveillance report 19 Feb 2025 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 05 Dec 2024 1 files
    Variation Response 05 Dec 2024 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2023)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 28 Oct 2023 1 files
    Surveillance report 30 Jan 2024 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2022)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 28 Sep 2022 1 files
    Surveillance report 14 Feb 2023 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 21 Dec 2022 1 files
    Variation Response 23 Dec 2022 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2021)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 08 Oct 2021 1 files
    Surveillance report 03 Mar 2022 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Stakeholder Announcement: IPI Announcement 03 Mar 2022 1 files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Stakeholder Advisory. Surveillance Report published more than 60 days after audit completed 03 Mar 2022 1 files
  • Re-Assessment (started 2018)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Client and peer review

    Documents Published on Files
    Proposed peer reviewers 22 Aug 2019 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Stakeholder Announcement: Alignment of deadline to close out conditions for Atlanto-Scandian herring fisheries 08 Jan 2020 1 files
    Variation Request 21 Feb 2020 1 files
    Variation Response 26 Feb 2020 1 files

    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation

    Documents Published on Files
    Fishery announcement template 07 Sep 2018 1 files
    Use of the RBF 09 Oct 2018 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Other document: Notification of Change to Re-assessment Timeline 12 Jul 2019 1 files
    Variation Request 29 Jul 2019 1 files
    Variation Response 09 Aug 2019 1 files

    Timeline Documents

    Documents Published on Files
    Assessment timeline 08 May 2019 1 files
    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation 03 Mar 2020 1 files
  • Initial Assessment (started 2012)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Public certification report and certificate issue

    Documents Published on Files
    Public certification announcement 29 May 2014 1 files
    Public certification report 29 May 2014 1 files

    Final assessment report and determination

    Documents Published on Files
    Final report and determination announcement 29 Apr 2014 1 files
    Final report and determination 29 Apr 2014 1 files

    Public review of the draft assessment report

    Documents Published on Files
    Public comment draft report announcement 27 Feb 2014 1 files
    Public comment draft report 27 Feb 2014 1 files

    Information gathering, stakeholder meetings and scoring

    Documents Published on Files
    Site visit announcement 31 Jul 2012 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Change to the Unit of Certification 29 Apr 2014 1 files
    Variation Request 04 Dec 2012 1 files
    Variation Response 04 Dec 2012 1 files

    Defining the assessment tree

    Documents Published on Files
    Assessment tree announcement 28 Jun 2012 1 files

    Fishery announcement, stakeholder identification and assessment team formation

    Documents Published on Files
    Stakeholder announcement 15 May 2012 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    List of client group members 11 Jun 2012 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2018)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 07 Sep 2018 1 files
    Surveillance report 24 Apr 2019 1 files
  • Expedited Audit (started 2018)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Announcement expedited audit 15 Feb 2018 1 files
    Expedited audit report 12 Oct 2018 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Other document: CAB Joint Statement 12 Apr 2018 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2017)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 21 Apr 2017 1 files
    Surveillance report 18 Sep 2017 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2016)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 10 May 2016 1 files
    Surveillance report 26 Aug 2016 1 files
    Other Documents Published on Files
    Variation Request 13 Jul 2016 1 files
    Variation Response 14 Jul 2016 1 files
  • Surveillance Audit (started 2015)
    • Units of Certification
      MSC UoC Number Species Gear type Ocean Area
      UoC-0734 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Seine Nets 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-0733 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
      UoC-1758 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) Trawls - Midwater trawls 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

    Ongoing surveillance

    Documents Published on Files
    Surveillance audit announcement 21 May 2015 2 files
    Surveillance report 08 Dec 2015 1 files