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The Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) was established in 2007 and represents all sectors of Scotland’s pelagic industry, from catching and processing, to marketing. It was established specifically to oversee the certification of North Sea herring and Western mackerel as sustainable to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard.

To achieve MSC certification, the fisheries must have proven traceability and be sustainable with a totally transparent supply chain.

The North Sea herring and Western mackerel fisheries will be the first major pelagic tank vessel fisheries in the world to be certified as well-managed and sustainable, and it is hoped that such an achievement will increase the marketing opportunities for the Scottish Pelagic industry.

The group recognise the fact that buyers are becoming more demanding and vigilant and will seek out food that has been assured sustainable. The SPSG was set up in response to these demands.

The SPSG encompasses all of Scotland’s pelagic vessels – 25 in total – all of the processing companies, and the organisations associated with the industry. The Secretariat for the Group is run by Seafood Scotland, the main trade association for the Scottish seafood sector, which has significant pelagic representation on its board. These have come together for the first time in this unique collaborative project.

Directors:
Ian Gatt, Iain MacSween, John Goodlad, Brian Isbister, Ian McFadden

Contact:
Seafood Scotland 18 Logie Mill, Edinburgh Scotland, EH7 4HS

Pre-sampling avoids capture of juvenile mackerel

Electronic pre-sampling jigging machines recently fitted to all pelagic mid-water trawlers in Scotland and Shetland, have been invaluable in helping vessels to avoid capture of undersized mackerel, according to Davie Hutchinson, skipper/owner of the Charisma LK362, who trialled the first jigger in 2007. "Pre-sampling is not a new technique and many vessels have used a hook and line in the past to ascertain the likely size composition of fish in a shoal, but the new computerised machines make it a far simpler job and one that is routinely carried out," he explained.

The use of jigging equipment started in Shetland as a voluntary initiative, but was soon taken up by the entire pelagic fleet, after being promoted by the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group. Click here to see a WWF film about this method.

The jigging machines dangle lures in the water and enable a vessel to take a sample of around 20kg of fish from a shoal of mackerel. "We are looking for fish with an average weight of 400g or larger," said Davie. "If the size profile is good, then we shoot the nets, but if the fish are too small, we move on and look for another shoal," he added. Using the technique, vessels avoid the capture of unwanted juvenile fish that would be destined for fishmeal production, and do not waste valuable fuel taking unmarketable fish back to market.

The procedure is quick and simple but highly effective, and its use in the fleet will become more important from January 2010, when slippage or discarding of fish becomes illegal in all pelagic fleets operating in the NE Atlantic.

Jigging machines come with an automatic stripper that removes fish from the line before they are individually weighed. At a cost of around £2,000 per vessel, they are relatively cheap compared to the cost savings they allow the vessel to make, in addition to conserving the mackerel stock. "The technique allows us to target shoals with a bigger average size, which means higher returns at port," states Davie Hutchinson.

Of particular importance to the pelagic fleet, is that pre-sampling complements the SPSG's sustainable policy and the terms of its MSC accreditation for the Scottish NE Atlantic mackerel fishery.

"I am very pleased that this skipper-led initiative has been taken up by the entire Scottish fleet as it brings real conservation benefits to the all-important mackerel stock," explained Derek Duthie, Secretary of SPSG. "This is the first time such an approach has been adopted across an entire fleet and is the latest in a package of sustainability measures introduced over recent years by the Scottish pelagic industry."