Sustainable status

Efforts are under way to gain sustainable fishery status for North Sea haddock and prawns.

In recent years concern about overfishing has meant products labelled as being sourced from healthy fisheries are more attractive to supermarkets and the public in the UK and abroad.

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification is the goal, as has been achieved for the mackerel and North Sea herring caught by the Shetland and Scottish fleets.

Now £20,000 has been awarded by the Scottish Fisheries Trust to help win MSC approval for haddock and prawns, which are key fisheries, particularly for many boats in north-east Scotland.

Further funds have been granted to seek MSC status for Atlanto-Scandian herring.

The Shetland Fishermen’s Association is receiving funds from the trust to pay for an observer from the fishing industry to take part in the forthcoming acoustic survey of herring stocks by scientists from Marine Scotland.

The Scottish Fisheries Trust was set up in 2000 by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation.