FOOD CERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL LTD Findhorn House, Dochfour Business Centre, Dochgarroch, Inverness, IV3 8GY, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1463 223 039 Fax: +44 (0) 1463 246 380 www.foodcertint.com MSC SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES RE-CERTIFICATION SPSG North Sea herring Fishery Final Report April 2013 Prepared For: Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) Prepared By: Food Certification International Ltd FCI template version 1.3(29/05/12) FOOD CERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL LTD Final Report April 2013 Authors: Tristan Southall, Paul Medley, Nick Pfeiffer. Certification Body: Client: Food Certification International Ltd Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) Address: Address: Findhorn House 1 Firthside Street Dochfour Business Centre Fraserburgh Dochgarroch Aberdeenshire Inverness IV3 8GY AB43 9AR Scotland, UK Name: Melissa McFadden Name: Ian Gatt (Secretary/Director) Tel: +44(0) 1463 223 039 Tel: +44(0) 1346 510 714 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.foodcertint.com MSC SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES April 2013 i Final Report – SPSG North Sea herring Fishery FOOD CERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL LTD Contents Glossary...................................................................................................................................... iv 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 6 2. Authorship and Peer Reviewers ................................................................................................ 8 2.1 Assessment Team ......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.1 Peer Reviewers ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 RBF Training .......................................................................................................................................... 9 3. Description of the Fishery ....................................................................................................... 10 3.1 Unit(s) of Certification and scope of certification sought ........................................................... 10 3.2 Overview of the fishery ............................................................................................................... 11 3.2.1 Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) ..................................................................................... 11 3.2.2 Species and Fishing Practice ............................................................................................................... 13 3.2.3 Administrative Framework ................................................................................................................. 16 3.3 Principle One: Target Species Background ................................................................................. 17 3.3.1 Management Unit ............................................................................................................................... 17 3.3.2 State of the Stock ................................................................................................................................ 18 3.3.3 Harvest Strategy.................................................................................................................................. 19 3.3.4 Reference Points and Harvest Control Rule ........................................................................................ 20 3.3.5 Fishery Data ........................................................................................................................................ 23 3.3.6 Stock Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 25 3.4 Principle Two: Ecosystem Background ....................................................................................... 26 3.4.1 Retained catch .................................................................................................................................... 26 3.4.2 Bycatch species ................................................................................................................................... 27 3.4.3 Endangered, Threatened and Protected species interactions (ETP) ................................................... 28 3.4.4 Habitat impacts ................................................................................................................................... 29 3.4.5 Ecosystem impacts .............................................................................................................................. 30 3.5 Principle Three: Management System Background .................................................................... 32 3.5.1 Governance & Policy ........................................................................................................................... 32 3.5.2 Management Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 35 4. Evaluation Procedure ............................................................................................................. 37 4.1 Harmonised Fishery Assessment ................................................................................................ 37 4.1.1 Harmonisation Details ........................................................................................................................ 37 4.2 Previous assessments ................................................................................................................. 38 4.2.1 Re-assessment with outstanding conditions ...................................................................................... 38 4.3 Assessment Methodologies ........................................................................................................ 39 4.3.1 Assessment Tree ................................................................................................................................. 39 4.4 Evaluation Processes and Techniques ........................................................................................ 39 4.4.1 Site Visits ............................................................................................................................................. 39 MSC SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES April 2013 ii Final Report – SPSG North Sea herring Fishery FOOD CERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL LTD 4.4.2 Consultations ...................................................................................................................................... 40 4.4.3 Evaluation Techniques ........................................................................................................................ 41 5. Traceability ............................................................................................................................ 43 5.1 Eligibility Date ............................................................................................................................. 43 5.2 Traceability within the Fishery .................................................................................................... 43 5.2.1 Evaluation of Risk of Vessels Fishing Outside of UoC.......................................................................... 43 5.2.2 Risk of Substitution of Mixing Certified / Non-Certified Catch ........................................................... 43 5.2.3 At-Sea Processing ................................................................................................................................ 44 5.2.4 Trans-Shipment ................................................................................................................................... 44 5.3 Eligibility to Enter Further Chains of Custody ............................................................................. 44 5.3.1 Eligible points of landing ..................................................................................................................... 44 5.3.2 Parties eligible to use the fishery certificate ....................................................................................... 44 6. Evaluation Results .................................................................................................................. 45 6.1 Principle Level Scores .................................................................................................................. 45 6.2 Summary of Scores ..................................................................................................................... 45 6.3 Summary of Conditions ............................................................................................................... 46 6.3.1 Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 46 6.4 Determination, Formal Conclusion and Agreement ................................................................... 47 7. References ............................................................................................................................. 49 Appendix 1. Scoring and Rationale ............................................................................................. 51 Appendix 1a – MSC Principles & Criteria .........................................................................................