North Sea Sprat Fishery Improvement Project Archive Date: December 2015
The North Sea Sprat FIP has been suspended due to lack of supply chain interest because of low harvest volume. The following report reflects the status of the FIP at the time SFP suspended work on the project.
Species: European sprat (Sprattus sprattus sprattus)
FIP Scope/Scale: Stock level
Fishery Location(s): European Union, Norway, ICES Subarea IV
For map see Stock Stock link North Sea sprat European sprat - North Sea
FIP Participants: • EWOS • BIOMAR • Skretting Sustainability Information: See Summary tab in the links above
Date Publicly Announced: 2011
FIP Stage: 3, FIP is encouraging improvements
Current Improvement Recommendations: • Promote research and improve biological data • Improve catch reporting, namely of the bycatch of herring • Support long-term management objectives • Support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) Background:
The North Sea sprat fishery catches mainly young fish with small-mesh trawl for reduction to fishmeal and fish oil. Stock status cannot be estimated and there are no management objectives for this fishery. Bycatch of juvenile herring is common but lower than the allowed bycatch ceiling. Sprat is an important prey species in the North Sea ecosystem. The effects of the sprat fishery on other fish species and seabirds are at present unknown.
SFP recommends the following actions: • Promote analytical stock assessments and development of biological reference points • Support research in stock identification and improvement on survey indexes • Promote catch reporting and monitoring of herring bycatch levels • Support long-term management objectives and measures • Evaluate potential environmental impacts of the fishery • Support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Market/Significance of this fishery
North Sea sprat is an important source fishery in the production of fishmeal and oil, and is significant for European salmonid aquaculture. The fishery is an important fishing opportunity for the Danish industrial fleet.
How the FIP started
Since 2008, SFP has worked with the fishfeed sector and the supply chain on reduction fisheries (i.e., those fisheries for which the catch is predominantly dedicated to non- human consumption) with a particular emphasis on those fisheries that supplied material to the aquaculture sector.
At the start of the program, four Northeast Atlantic reduction fisheries were identified as significant to European salmonid aquaculture, fisheries’ status were reviewed, improvement needs identified, and actions proposed that the supply chain could take to improve the performance of these source fisheries.
In 2011, a formal SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group was created, a partnership of major fishfeed producers in Europe to support improvements in the sustainability of the management regime and address market sustainability requirements.
FIP Objectives: • Promote research and improve biological data • Improve catch reporting, namely of the bycatch of herring • Support long-term management objectives • Evaluate potential environmental impacts of the fishery • Support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) Progress Update:
2008 – 2011 Characterized these fisheries on FishSource
2010
Engaged with aquaculture feed standards to establish FishSource as a key resource
Built awareness among processors and retailers of the significance of aquaculture feed sustainability to their wider ocean sustainability programs
2011 January – March Updated SFP white paper, which summarized the status of the stock and improvement needs for the fishery and provides the basis for supply chain procurement policies and engagement
Provided actionable information to the supply chain via reports and briefing notes and developed sustainable seafood metrics
April – June Created SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group
Second meeting of the SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group
July – September Letter to the European Commission advocating better management and data collection
October – December Third meeting of the SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group
2012
January – March Created SFP Advisory Note, which summarized the status of the stock and improvement needs for the fishery and provides improvement recommendations
Summary workplan available publicly
April – June Fourth meeting of the SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group
July – September Detailed workplan available publicly
October – December Letter to the Danish Pelagic Producers Organisation advocating better catch data collection
2013
April – June Fifth meeting of the SFP European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group
2015
SFP suspended the North Sea Sprat FIP due to lack of supply chain interest because of low harvest volume.
Resources: www.ices.dk
North Sea Sprat FIP Detailed Page
Fishery Problem: Summary of fishery status Current Status Status at beginning of FIP SFP own estimate, based on data from FishSource: A score of >6.0 was given to A score of <6.0 was given to current stock status. Catch current stock status. There are levels are considered to be no reference points defined but sustainable. Spawning biomass there is no evidence that catches and recruitment have been create problems to stock. increasing.
Other ranking systems: Fishery has not been rated by any other ranking system.
FIP Progress Update:
Results/ Indicator of Scop Specific Date List of Source FIP Stage Success e/ Details Achiev Suppliers/ Scal ed Organizatio e ns
FIP is Sustainability All SFP March SFP white launched evaluation is at reduction 2011 paper (Stage 1) publicly stoc fisheries North Sea available k white sprat level papers Fishery March European profile on 2010 sprat - FishSourc North Sea e – North Sea sprat Fisheries Improvem 2010 SFP improvement ent needs 2011 Global recommendati 2012 Sustainabi ons publicly lity available Overview of Fisheries Used for Fishmeal and Fish Oil FIP is Suppliers are Roundtabl 2010 All FIP formed organized e April, partners (Stage 2) meetings: June, European Octobe Seafood r 2011 Exposition April in 2012 Brussels, April Belgium, 2013 and in Edinburgh , UK European Fishmeal and Oil Users Group created Suppliers are European 2009 All FIP SFP evaluating this Fishmeal 2010 partners Global fishery and Oil 2011 Sustainabi Users 2012 lity Group are Overview sponsoring of and using Fisheries FishSourc Used for e Fishmeal and Fish Oil FIP is Workplan with All Workplan Jan Workplan encouragin annual at available 2013 g improvement stoc Detailed improveme milestones k FIP workplan nts (Stage publicly level Detailed Jan 3) available workplan 2013
Suppliers are Letter to August All FIP engaging the: 2011 partners regulators European Octobe Commissi r 2012 on Danish Pelagic Producers Organisati on