We recognise that fishing sustainably is vital to the future of the fishing industry.

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification

The SFO is a proud member of both the Scottish Fisheries Sustainability Accreditation Group (SFSAG) and the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG). These groups were set up in the mid 2000s to oversee the certification of our main fisheries to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-label standard. The over-riding aim of both the SPSG and SFSAG is to ensure that the Scottish fishing industry is truly transparent and sustainable. The demersal and pelagic stocks currently certified as sustainable by MSC are listed below. 

Demersal

• North Sea Haddock

• Rockall Haddock

• Northern Saithe

• North Sea Cod

• North Sea Whiting

• Northern Hake

• North Sea Plaice

Pelagic

• North-East Atlantic Mackerel

• North Sea Herring

• Atlanto-Scandian Herring

• North-East Atlantic Blue whiting

Responsible fishing

Developed by Seafish, The Responsible Fishing Scheme aims to raise standards in the catching sector, enabling those within the seafood supply chain to demonstrate their commitment to the responsible sourcing of seafood. The RFS is the only global standard that audits compliance on board fishing vessels, including ethical and welfare criteria.

The scheme is currently being rolled out across the UK and a number of SFO members are currently certified or in the process of gaining certification.