The Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG), which manages the recently-certified SPSG mackerel fishery and last summer's MSC-certified SPSG North Sea herring fishery, has entered a third fishery for MSC assessment. If successful, herring from the SPSG Atlanto-Scandian herring fishery will be eligible to bear the MSC eco-label early next year.

SPSG pelagic trawlers fitted with the latest refrigerated seawater tank systems will be used to catch herring over a large area between Norway and Greenland, and up towards Svalbard in the Arctic Circle. SPSG vessels catch most of the 23,430MT UK quota for the Atlanto-Scandian herring stock - around 1.4% of the Total Allowable Catch.

SPSG Company Secretary, Derek Duthie says: "The Atlanto-Scandian herring fishery has become increasingly important to the Scottish pelagic industry in recent years as the healthy stock has led to quota increases. As one of our top three fisheries, it is important that Atlanto-Scandian herring carries the same sustainability standard as mackerel and North Sea herring and this decision demonstrates our continued commitment to sustainable fishing."

Claire Pescod, MSC Scottish Fisheries Outreach Officer says: "SPSG has led the field in the certification of Scottish pelagic fisheries. I am delighted that they have chosen to continue their leadership by entering this new fishery for MSC assessment. I am sure that the northern European markets for herring, which are increasingly requesting independent verification of sustainability, will follow this assessment with particular interest."

Independent certifier Food Certification International - which also carried out assessments of the previous SPSG fisheries - will carry out this assessment. It is expected to take 10 months.