The latter’s decision to remove haddock from three areas from its “fish to eat” list this week was lampooned by Scottish fishermen. And, yesterday, he MSC – which has certified North Sea haddock – has added its weight to their side, stating that “the fishery has strong management in place and has responded to ensure that catches remain sustainable”.
“The Scottish haddock fishermen have already worked with the government to set lower quotas in response to the latest scientific advice," said the MSC’s James Simpson. "In fact they’ve set their catches even lower than the recommendations. It’s a bold move to protect the haddock stock for the long term. This is a great example of a responsible reactive management responding to fluctuations in stock status and that’s exactly what MSC certification is about: long-term sustainability. You can still choose MSC certified Scottish haddock for your Friday night fish and chips with a clean conscience.
“I’ll be choosing MSC labelled Scottish haddock tonight for my fish and chip supper knowing that it’s been caught by responsible fishermen with sustainable management that’s been checked and monitored by the world’s most rigorous scientific test of sustainability.”
