Icelandic companies Samherji hf and Síldarvinnslan hf have achieved Marine Stewardship Council Certification for their Norwegian spring-spawning herring and Icelandic summer-spawning herring fisheries.

The two Icelandic companies have achieved MSC certification for their herring fisheries

The two Icelandic companies have achieved MSC certification for their herring fisheries

Together, both fisheries land just under 91,000 tonnes per year.

The certification includes six pelagic trawlers and one processing vessel that catches and processes fish at sea. Under Icelandic fishing law, the processing vessel carries a scientific observer at all times. All of the herring catches included in the assessment are used for human consumption, with trimmings being used for fishmeal production.

Sildarvinnslan hf is Iceland's largest catcher and processor of pelagic species and the country's largest producer of fishmeal and oil.

Gunnthor Ingvason, CEO of Sildarvinnslan, says: “This MSC certification is an important milestone for the herring industry, as we now have both the fishery and our processing certified. It will strengthen the herring position in overseas markets and it gives our customers verification that we are utilising the herring stocks sustainably. We look at this certification as a tool to strengthen our market position.”

The main European markets for the herring are Poland, France, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, with Nigeria as biggest market in Africa. The fishmeal produced by Sildarvinnslan hf goes to feed producers, mainly in Western Europe.

The Icelandic management of the fishery was praised by the certifiers during the assessment. Only two conditions of certification were given, which were a condition to develop formal harvest control rules during the certification, and a condition in relation to the management of the fishery's mackerel bycatch.

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