Scottish Government

"Our fishing sector in Scotland is strongly committed to fishing our precious marine resources sustainably and I would like to pay tribute to them for forging such an enviable reputation. This is clear from the fact that over half of all Scotland's fisheries by value are now certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainable or are in the full assessment process. We currently boast an impressive 1 in 10 of the fisheries to have achieved MSC certification worldwide - with even more to follow. I am proud of Scotland's conservation credentials and am confident our fleet is doing its utmost to protect our fish stocks for future generations."

Richard Lochhead, MSP Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment

SCOTTISH FISHERIES AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland's fishing industry is profitable, sustainable and well managed, and that it continues to produce seafood which is not only of the highest quality but also enjoys the highest reputation for sustainability.

Scottish fishermen are fishing ever more sustainably. Scottish fisheries are increasingly pursuing independent sustainability certification. Many have applied for certification by the Marine Stewardship Council ( MSC), the industry's "gold standard" eco-label. Last year, the number of Scottish fisheries certified by the MSC doubled. In the first three months of 2009, the number of certified fisheries in Scotland re-doubled and ever-growing numbers are in the full assessment process.

• Over 50% of all Scottish fisheries by value are currently MSC-certified or in the full assessment process
• 1 in 10 of MSC's certified fisheries worldwide are Scottish fisheries
• 90% of our valuable pelagic fisheries are now certified as sustainably fished

The Scottish Government warmly encourages certification schemes such as MSC, recognising that they have a valuable role to play in promoting sustainable fisheries and in providing consumers with a reliable guide on sustainable sourcing.

SCOTTISH FISHERIES CONSERVATION POLICY

Conservation Credits Scheme

Scotland is known for its pioneering approach to fisheries management, including the development of the Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme in 2008. The scheme rewards fishermen for pro-conservation behaviour including avoiding grounds with a high cod abundance and using selective gear such as square mesh panels in their fishing nets. A Conservation Credits Steering Group comprising Government, industry representatives, scientists and NGOs oversees the scheme.

Real-Time Closures

From 1 September 2007, a voluntary system of real-time area closures has been in operation with the co-operation of the Scottish fishing industry as an effective means of protecting concentrations of cod. We continue to build on its recognised success which is making a significant contribution to the 25% mortality reduction target set out in the Cod Recovery Plan. Marine Scotland uses a combination of ongoing inspections, analysis of VMS data and associated landings to react to areas of high cod abundance in order to initiate closures. We have also been extremely encouraged by intelligence reports from skippers at sea.

Discard Reduction

The promotion of behavioural change within the fleet is vital to resolving the issue of discarding. The most suitable options to reduce discards in a fishery vary between fisheries. We are implementing a range of measures under the scheme, both spatial and selective, to reduce discards in all Scottish fisheries. These include: larger mesh sizes; reduced twine thickness; square mesh panels and other selective gear solutions; hand-jigging, real-time closures and seasonal closures.

MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

The Marine Stewardship Council ( MSC) is an independent, global non-profit organisation which operates a third-party, voluntary fisheries certification and
eco-labelling scheme. Working with international scientists, governments, NGOs and other stakeholders, the MSC has developed an international standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries based on the FAO code of conduct for responsible fisheries. Any fishery around the world is eligible to be assessed against the MSC standard. Fisheries contract an independent certifier (which has been accredited by Accreditation Systems International) to assess the fishery against the MSC standard. During the process, the Certifier forms an expert team to review the best available science and information and takes into account the views and knowledge of all stakeholders.

If a fishery passes the assessment then it is certified to the MSC Standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. This means that products from that fishery are eligible to bear the MSC eco-label. The credibility of the logo is maintained through the supply chain using the MSC's 'Chain of Custody' traceability standard. In order to use the MSC logo on the final product, the whole supply chain has to be certified for Chain of Custody traceability.

The number of MSC-certified Scottish fisheries doubled in 2008 and has re-doubled in 2009. Scotland boasts approximately 1 in 10 of certified fisheries worldwide. Fisheries currently eligible to bear the MSC eco-label include Scottish langoustine from Loch Torridon and Stornoway as well as herring and mackerel from the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group. Over 90% of Scottish pelagic fisheries are also MSC-accredited.

RESPONSIBLE FISHING SCHEME

The Responsible Fishing Scheme ( RFS) is a vessel-based scheme that has been developed by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) to raise standards in the catching sector. The aim is to ensure that over time vessels in the scheme become a preferred source of supply.

The RFS is an independent, audited assessment of the application of good practice by a vessel skipper and crew in their fishing operations. It covers four key areas: fishing practices; vessel criteria (such as hygiene, fish storage facilities, safety, etc.); crew competence; and environmental considerations.

The Scottish Government supports the Responsible Fishing Scheme both in its own right and as a means to complement MSC certification. Growing numbers of vessels in Scotland are signing up to the scheme and to date over 100 Scottish vessels are now fully certified.

SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR SCOTTISH FISHERIES SEEKING CERTIFICATION

A number of different sources of support are available for Scottish fisheries seeking independent sustainability certification.

The Scottish Government funds two posts dedicated to assisting Scottish fisheries pursue certification: the Marine Stewardship Council's Scottish Fisheries Outreach Officer and Seafood Scotland's Technical and Environmental Manager. The Outreach Officer is in place to ensure that fisheries are aware their product can be certified and assist the fisheries through the accreditation process. The Technical and Environmental Manager is responsible for overseeing a three-year Environmental Programme for the Scottish seafood sector.

Support is also available from other organisations. Fully certified Scottish fisheries and those in the certification process have been successful in obtaining funding and support from sponsors including local authorities and regional enterprise organisations. European Fisheries Fund ( EFF) support may also be available on application for a range of pro-conservation actions including the increased use of selective gear.

The Scottish Government strongly encourages vessels to apply for certification with as many other similar vessels as possible to form collectives for the purposes of minimising the cost of assessment. Under the Responsible Fishing Scheme, vessels are assessed individually. The cost of assessing an individual vessel is reduced if it is possible to assess other vessels at the same time. In the case of MSC certification, a client group is formed of stakeholders with an interest in the fishery being assessed, who have direction over the management of the fishery. There is no technical limit to the number of vessels a client group can contain, although client groups generally include vessels fishing for the same stock (or set of stocks) using the same fishing gear. The larger the client group, the lower the cost of assessment per participant.

Contact details for people who can advise on the certification process and the support available are provided on the back cover of this leaflet.

For further information on sustainable Scottish fisheries, or for information on how to certify your fishery, please contact the following people:

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh cuiribh fios gu:

katriona.gillespie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
0131-244 6383

claire.pescod@msc.org
0131-243 2617

jess@seafoodscotland.org
01358-729609
07876-035753