North Sea saithe fishery faces MSC certification suspension

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for North Sea saithe will be suspended effective June 30, following changes in the stock assessment for the species.

The suspension will apply to all catches from ICES areas 3a, four, and six, including the North Sea, Rockall, west of Scotland, Skagerrak, and Kattegat. The decision affects saithe caught by Norwegian and foreign vessels operating in these areas.

“There are no changes for Norwegian fisheries for saithe north of 62 degrees, in ICES areas I and II, which is also the area where the majority of saithe caught in Norwegian waters is taken,” said Tor Bjørklund Larsen, who works with environmental certification and stock management at the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association.

He says the suspension follows revised scientific advice issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in 2024, which found that the North Sea saithe stock had fallen below the precautionary biomass level (Bpa) and that fishing mortality exceeded the maximum sustainable yield (Fmsy).

“These are technical terms that are a downgrade from previous assessments of the population in question,” said Bjørklund Larsen. “This triggers a requirement in the MSC standard to document a credible recovery plan, which is made difficult when fish mortality is still high.”

The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association noted that its certifier, Control Union, considered the suspension to be a borderline case.

“The MSC standard allows for a transition period for management to adapt to new reference points based on an ICES benchmark, however, this view was not shared by any of the other certification companies that assessed similar fisheries in the EU,” Bjørklund Larsen said. “MSC requires harmonisation across certificates, and in such processes the most conservative interpretation should always apply.”

Bjørklund Larsen expressed concern over the implications for fisheries management. “The association is critical of how this practice creates high risk and unpredictability for fisheries that are otherwise responsibly managed, and where there are no acute sustainability challenges,” he added.

As a result of the suspension, saithe caught in the affected areas cannot be marketed as MSC-certified sustainable. Bjørklund said the potential market impact is uncertain, given demand for fish remains high.

The association expressed confidence that coastal state management will restore the stock to a level that meets certification standards. Looking ahead, they also hope future sustainability standards will offer greater predictability.