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Sustainability Policy The Scottish pelagic industry is committed to the achievement and ongoing principle of sustainability in all fisheries in which it operates, and sees the development of this policy as an essential tool in pursuit of this goal. The Scottish pelagic industry considers the following principles to be the underpinning basis of this policy: • The industry will take all appropriate and necessary measures to ensure that the pelagic fisheries in which they operate are fished and managed responsibly to preserve the sustainable use of all marine resources and their habitats for current and future generations. • The industry acknowledges that pelagic fisheries are a shared resource at national and international level; and as such will cooperate with all industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities in their sustainable management. • Vessels will make all reasonable efforts to minimise unintended bycatch and discards which have a detrimental effect to the fisheries in which they operate and on the wider ecosystems of the marine environment. • The industry promotes the participation in and equitable implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as a means to apply and build upon the framework of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. • The industry takes full note of the ICES advice as the basis of best scientific advice which will contribute to management measures governing pelagic fisheries. • The industry is committed to the maximization of product quality through the application of best practice in all fishing activity; from the methods of fishing employed; methods of bringing the catch aboard; the storage conditions of the product on board to the discharging of the catch once in port. It is also committed to encouraging training of personnel to achieve these objectives. • The Scottish pelagic processing factories are based in North-East Scotland and Shetland. As such they are near to the main fishing grounds. All the primary processing plants are modern and equipped with the latest machinery for receiving, grading, filleting, packing, and freezing herring and mackerel. With high capacities they can ensure quality is maintained throughout the processes. |