- Certifier :
- LRQA (Seafood) Limited
- Certified status :
- Withdrawn
- Certified since :
- 10 May 2016
- Certificate expires :
- 09 Nov 2021
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
Catch by Species
| Species | Reported Catch Year | Metric Tonnes |
|---|---|---|
| Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) | 2019 | 778,341 |
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 | 08 Feb 2021 | 1 files |
| Other document: List of client group members (processors) | 29 Jun 2016 | 1 files |
About this Fishery
The Mackerel Industry Northern Sustainability Alliance (MINSA) came together in 2012. The North East Atlantic mackerel stock had faced overfishing due to increased activity from fishing vessels outside of MSC certification. International agreements aimed at managing the stock had broken down and all MSC certificates were suspended.
The fishery in its current form was certified in 2016, following two years of assessment.
“This certification involved a truly unprecedented partnership approach and is a strong demonstration of the commitment of northern European pelagic fishermen to sustainable fishing and the responsible long-term management of the fishery”.
- Ian Gatt, coordinator for MINSA
The MINSA group is made up of over 700 fishing boats from small coastal handline vessels through to large ocean-going pelagic trawlers. They come from eleven countries including: Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France, Republic of Ireland and Lithuania.
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) image © Scandinavian Fishing Year Book
Market Information
The catch is sold as smoked mackerel, fillet, canned, whole frozen, and headed and gutted to European, African and Asian markets.