- Certifier :
- LRQA (Seafood) Limited
- Certified status :
- Certified
- Certified since :
- 21 Feb 2013
- Certificate expires :
- 30 Jan 2029
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) | 2022 | 114,145 |
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 | 29 Jan 2024 | 1 files |
About this Fishery
In 2013, West Greenland cold water prawn became the first Greenlandic fishery to achieve MSC certification for sustainable fishing.
The fishery is managed by Sustainable Fisheries Greenland and comprises an inshore and offshore fleet with a total of 21 smaller vessels and 7 factory vessels which process the catch. The fishery uses otter board trawls to target prawns year round.
"Respect for nature has been a fundamental prerequisite for survival in Greenland for centuries. Our government has introduced sustainability as a principle in fisheries legislation, which made it quite natural for me and my administration to support Sustainable Fisheries Greenland in its efforts to achieve MSC certification."
- Ane Hansen, fisheries minister 2013
"Half of the value of exports from Greenland can be ascribed to the prawn fisheries, and this fishery is therefore of crucial importance both economically and culturally."
- Gisli Gislason, MSC Manager Iceland, Greenland & Faroe Islands
Image © Polar Seafood
Market Information
In world markets, Greenland prawn is known for its quality. Raw, shell-on prawns are mainly sold to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and cooked shell-on prawns find markets in Scandinavia and Russia. The cooked and peeled prawns have strong markets in the UK other EU countries.