Scottish Pelagic Industry Reaches Finals of Prestigious International Award

The winner will be announced on 7 September at the Seafood Summit in Hong Kong.

Commenting on this news, SPSG Chairman John Goodlad, said: This is a fantastic endorsement for the Scottish pelagic industry. Reaching the final of this award is recognition that we are now leading the way in sustainable fishing practices. It acknowledges all the work SPSG has done in this field, and most importantly recognises the huge endeavours made by the pelagic fleet and processing plants in recent years to transform the way that pelagic fisheries are managed.

For us, the nomination reflects the turnaround by the pelagic industry, which has created a responsible and sustainable fishery from one where over quota landings were endemic a decade ago

Ian Gatt, Secretary of SPSG, added: Being shortlisted for this prestigious award is testament to the enormous effort put into securing MSC accreditation for all our key species over the past four years. The news will hopefully boost consumer confidence in our industry and encourage them to eat even more Scottish-caught mackerel and herring.

Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said: Scottish fishermen are fully committed to sustainable fishing practices and the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group has led the way for the pelagic sector. Im delighted that the SPSG have been nominated as a finalist at the Seafood Champion awards and wish them all the best for the finals in Hong Kong.