Icelandic cod and haddock FoS approved

The Icelandic longline fishery was found compliant with FoS sustainability criteria following a third party audit run on site by an international certification body.

According to the audit, the cod and haddock fished in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (FAO area 27) are neither overexploited nor overfished. The Directorate of Fisheries monitors the fish stock status yearly.

The fleet does not operate in marine protected areas, and the spawning and nursery grounds are systematically closed to fishing by the national authority. Discards are between 3% and 5% and the by-caught species are not included in the IUCN Redlist. The fishery only uses hooks which do not impact the seabed.

Sæmark also has an effective Chain of Custody which guarantees that no mixing occurs between approved and non-approved products.

“Consumers are more and more demanding for sustainability and Sæmark has always given highest relevance to environmental conservation and marine habitat conservation,” said Kristjan Dui Benediktsson, Sæmark’s quality manager. “Friend of the Sea certification confirms our efforts are well directed.”