Area 21 (Atlantic, Northwest)

Overview

The Ontario Commercial Fisheries' Association (OCFA), Great Lakes Food Company Ltd. (GLFC), Presteve Foods Limited (PFL) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) are leading a cooperative initiative to begin preparations for the eventual MSC certification of the bottom trawl fishery for rainbow smelt in Lake Erie. A MSC pre-assessment was completed in late 2017.

The Ontario Commercial Fisheries' Association (OCFA), Great Lakes Food Company Ltd. (GLFC), Presteve Foods Limited (PFL) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) are leading a cooperative initiative to begin preparations for the eventual MSC certification of the bottom trawl fishery for rainbow smelt in Lake Erie. A MSC pre-assessment was completed in late 2017.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Ontario Commercial Fisheries' Association (OCFA)
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Jane Graham
Email 
Jane.Graham@ocfa.on.ca
Phone 
519-658-3270
Website Name 
OCFA
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
11012

Overview

What is a Completed FIP?

Completed FIPs are those that have independent verification that they have achieved their environmental objectives and/or graduated to MSC full assessment or other program assessment. Completed FIPs no longer report on their environmental performance but may choose to voluntarily report on their social performance.

Date of Completion: Sep 2022

Explanation of Completion: The FIP has succeeded in achieving its objectives. Please refer to the following actions in the Actions Progress tab for evidence — Conduct research on mussel beds, Determine fishery-specific objectives, and Determine key components of mussel management. The FIP updated one of its objectives from "Management improves to ensure long-term sustainability of the mussel fishery and access for local harvesters " to "Working group members determine there is a need for better long-term management and a request for a fishery management plan process is submitted to the state agency.", which was achieved in March 2022.

This FIP is focused on the wild harvest of mussels in the state of Maine (USA). The goals of this project are to establish and increase collection of stock status data, and to determine objectives and key components for a management plan. This is a fishery that occurs in state waters, and is managed by the Department of Marine Resources in Maine. There are both wild and farmed mussel industries in Maine – this FIP is focused on the wild fishery, which includes harvesters targeting adult mussels to be sold into the marketplace directly, and harvesters targeting seed mussels to transplant to bottom aquaculture leases for farming purposes. Most of the fishery is executed with drag gear, and there is a small amount of hand raking that occurs. The work group includes members from both the wild and bottom aquaculture industries, in addition to processors, distributors, and a major retailer, who are all committed to the long-term sustainability of this fishery in Maine.

This FIP is focused on the wild harvest of mussels in the state of Maine (USA). The goals of this project are to establish and increase collection of stock status data, and to determine objectives and key components for a management plan. This is a fishery that occurs in state waters, and is managed by the Department of Marine Resources in Maine.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
January 01, 2018
18% 14% 50% 18%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
Not yet available
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Target End Date
Dec 2022

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Kyle Foley
Email 
kfoley@gmri.org
Phone 
207-228-1670
Website Name 
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
8460

Overview

Fishery Improvement Projects provide an opportunity to improve and document information and management of fisheries not yet eligible to receive sustainability certifications.

The  Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC) is an organization that represents the  >100’ groundfish license holders in Atlantic Canada. The membership of AGC holds almost 80% of the quotas for each of the two management units.  As the fishery recovers from historic lows, the importance of a sustainable economic development of this expanding resource has never been higher. This FIP is a forum to plan for any sustainability issues to be resolved prior to assessment against the performance indicators of the MSC assessment framework.  

Fishery Improvement Projects provide an opportunity to improve and document information and management of fisheries not yet eligible to receive sustainability certifications.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
April 01, 2018
7% 29% 64%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Steve Devitt
Email 
sdevitt@atlanticgroundfish.ca
Phone 
(902) 497-4586
Website Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
7511

Overview

The MSC certificate for this fishery was voluntarily suspended by certificate holders in light of recently renewed concerns about stock health resulting from changes in the ecosystem. The Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC), an industry association for offshore fishery companies in Canada, has subsequently initiated a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) that will be supported by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). This FIP aims to complete an action plan that includes continued compliance with, and reporting on, all conditions associated with the suspended MSC certification and will serve to guide the fishery back to MSC certification as soon as possible. The FIP action plan will include improving the stock assessment model, gaining insight into the ecosystem drivers and exploring the role of discrete components in supporting the overall stock complex.

The MSC certificate for this fishery was voluntarily suspended by certificate holders in light of recently renewed concerns about stock health resulting from changes in the ecosystem.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
May 01, 2017
7% 29% 64%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Aug 2024
Target End Date
Apr 2026

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Steve Devitt
Email 
sdevitt@atlanticgroundfish.ca
Phone 
(902) 497-4586
Website Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
7465

Overview

The general purpose of the Canada 3LNO American plaice FIP process is to improve the likelihood that this Canadian offshore fishery will pass the main assessment to receive MSC certification. Current markets for American plaice include the USA for fillets and Asia for H&G, with future market opportunities in Europe. MSC certification will be key for future sales opportunities. The FIP endeavors to improve information about the stock assessment, recovery planning, and fishery information on both target and bycatch species.  Additional key goals for this FIP include habitat impact identification and improving management objectives and tools for the fishery.

The directed fishery for this stock of American plaice is currently in a moratorium. There is bycatch in other directed groundfish fisheries. The volume of directed catch is currently set at 0 and a control is set for bycatch.

The general purpose of the Canada 3LNO American plaice FIP process is to improve the likelihood that this Canadian offshore fishery will pass the main assessment to receive MSC certification. Current markets for American plaice include the USA for fillets and Asia for H&G, with future market opportunities in Europe. MSC certification will be key for future sales opportunities. The FIP endeavors to improve information about the stock assessment, recovery planning, and fishery information on both target and bycatch species.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Kris Vascotto
Email 
kvascotto@atlanticgroundfish.ca
Phone 
(902) 526-4582
Website Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
4791

Overview

The general purpose of the Canada witch flounder (stocks in NAFO divisions 2J3KL, 3NO & 3Ps) fishery improvement progam (FIP) process is to improve the likelihood that these Canadian offshore fisheries will pass a main assessment to receive MSC certification. Current markets for witch flounder include the USA for fillets and Asia for H&G, with future market opportunities in Europe. MSC certification will be key for future sales opportunities. The FIP endeavors to improve information about the stock assessment, recovery planning, and fishery information on both target and bycatch species.  Additional key goals for this FIP include habitat impact identification and improving management objectives and tools for the fishery.

There are small  directed quota fisheries for witch flounder in NAFO subareas 3NO and 3Ps. The fishery for the 2J3KL stock of witch flounder is currently in a moratorium.

The  Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC) is an organization that represents the  >100’ groundfish license holders in Atlantic Canada. The membership of AGCan holds significant portions of the Canadian quotas for each of the three stock management unit allocations.  As the resource recovers from historic lows, the importance of a sustainable economic development of this expanding resource has never been higher. This FIP is a forum to plan for issues of sustainability to be resolved prior to assessment against the performance indicators of the MSC assessment framework. 

The general purpose of the Canada witch flounder (stocks in NAFO divisions 2J3KL, 3NO & 3Ps) fishery improvement progam (FIP) process is to improve the likelihood that these Canadian offshore fisheries will pass a main assessment to receive MSC certification. Current markets for witch flounder include the USA for fillets and Asia for H&G, with future market opportunities in Europe. MSC certification will be key for future sales opportunities.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
March 01, 2017
11% 11% 79%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
C Some Recent Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Apr 2024
Target End Date
Oct 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Steve Devitt
Email 
sdevitt@atlanticgroundfish.ca
Phone 
1-902 497-4586
Website Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
4161

Overview

The Canada Atlantic cod (2J3KL) longline, trawl, gillnet and hook & line FIP is led by the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), with major retail funding from Marks & Spencer, Young's Seafood, Sysco France and High Liner Foods; and with in-kind support from Sustainable Fisheries Fund and Atlantic Canadian institutions including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Memorial University, Dalhousie University and Ocean Tracking Network.

The FIP was launched in April 2015 with actions well underway on a number of fronts, assisted by a formal MSC Pre-Assessment that scopes out the challenges to be addressed in order to receive MSC certification. A DFO 2J3KL Cod Recovery Working Group was created in 2012 and includes representatives of all Stakeholders; the development of draft harvest control rules (HCR) is well advanced. An Integrated Fishery Management Plan (IFMP) is under development and should be completed in 2017. Much of the habitat and ecosystem information has already been assembled by FIP Participants, in part as evidence for the MSC certification of other directed fisheries in the same area (2J3KLNO). Coral and sponge concentrations have been identified using DFO’s research vessel surveys and formal peer-review processes.

FIP members continue to advocate a ‘go slow’ precautionary approach to setting catch limits for this recovering stock.  Examples of our public position on this issue can be seen in recent media communications, (see ‘Background on Atlantic Groundfish Council Northern Cod Position_Mar 2019’ under the Additional Supporting Documentation link in the Detail Tab).

The Canada Atlantic cod (2J3KL) longline, trawl, gillnet and hook & line FIP is led by the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), with major retail funding from Marks & Spencer, Young's Seafood, Sysco France and High Liner Foods; and with in-kind support from Sustainable Fisheries Fund and Atlantic Canadian institutions including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Memorial University, Dalhousie University and Ocean Tracking Network.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
February 01, 2015
11% 32% 57%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Jun 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2025
Additional Impacts:
Roundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Association of Seafood Producers
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Jeff Loder
Email 
jloder@seafoodproducers.org
Phone 
(709) 726-3730
Website Name 
Association of Seafood Producers
Organization Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Steve Devitt
Email 
sdevitt@atlanticgroundfish.ca
Phone 
(902) 497-4586
Website Name 
Atlantic Groundfish Council
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
3156

Overview

What is a Completed FIP?

Completed FIPs are those that have independent verification that they have achieved their environmental objectives and/or graduated to MSC full assessment or other program assessment. Completed FIPs no longer report on their environmental performance but may choose to voluntarily report on their social performance.

Date of Completion: Jul 2019

Explanation of Completion: FIP remains MSC certified since 2016.

Completion Link

The FIP concentrates on continual improvement of retained bycatch management measures to aid in the recovery of GOM/GB Atlantic Cod, GOM/GB yellowtail flounder, GB Winter flounder, and Witch flounder. The current management system encompasses a clear process for which improvements can be tested, approved and put into legislation. This processes starts with ideas generated and tested at the sector level, and if successful, these ideas become documented rules in the sector's operational plan. If these sector rules are effective and adopted by all sectors, these rules can then be put forth as permanent management measures - if passed, they would then be listed on the federal register. Numerous bycatch improvements have entered this process, some of which are legislation today and some that are still being tested.

On August 16th, 2018 Atlantic Coast Seafood, Inc. joined the MSC certificate for this fishery. https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/us-acadian-redfish-haddock-and-po...

FIPプロフィールレポート

The FIP concentrates on continual improvement of retained bycatch management measures to aid in the recovery of GOM/GB Atlantic Cod, GOM/GB yellowtail flounder, GB Winter flounder, and Witch flounder. The current management system encompasses a clear process for which improvements can be tested, approved and put into legislation. This processes starts with ideas generated and tested at the sector level, and if successful, these ideas become documented rules in the sector's operational plan.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
February 01, 2017
7% 93%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
Not yet available
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Target End Date
Feb 2018
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityIUU

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
BackTracker Inc. (Atlantic Coast Seafood Inc.)
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Michael Carroll
Email 
mtcarroll92@yahoo.com
Phone 
617-640-8126
Website Name 
BackTracker Inc.
Organization Name 
Atlantic Coast Seafood Inc.
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Tory Bramante
Phone 
617-482-0040
Website Name 
Atlantic Coast Seafood Inc.
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
2771

Overview

Northern Cod, located off Labrador and the island of Newfoundland (NAFO Divisions 2J3KL), supported commercial fisheries for over 500 years. Excessive fishing combined with ecosystem change led to the collapse of cod. After many years of little to no recovery, the biomass of Northern Cod increased from 10,000 t in 1995 to close to 400,000 t of spawning stock biomass in recent years. Although, the spawning stock biomass is no longer in the critical zone, the building blocks for continued growth and a sustainable fishery must be laid as the stock is rebuilding. 

LAUNCHING THE NORTHERN COD FISHERY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

In April 2015, WWF-Canada embarked on a fishery improvement project (FIP) to bring back Newfoundland and Labrador’s northern cod stock, signing a landmark agreement with the largest private-sector union in the province, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Union. The agreement between the fishing union and an ENGO was the first major step in launching a five-year initiative to improve the sustainability of the only existing northern cod fishery—a small-scale, stewardship fishery with around 9,600  metric tonnes of annual landings—so that it may enter into the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process. WWF-Canada and the FFAW also secured support for the FIP from the Seafood Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador, Fogo Island Co-op and the NL- Groundfish Industry Development Council.

The FIP process formally began in November 2015 with a MSC pre-assessment that identified the issues that needed to be addressed to improve the sustainability of the stock. A stakeholder meeting that included participants from all sectors of the industry was held in September 2016 to help develop a FIP action plan to tackle the problems in the fishery. The Action plan was launched publicly in December 2016 that includes the necessary actions to address the issues of concerns in the fishery, responsible parties and timelines. In 2017 we began the implementation of the activities identified in the Action Plan to address the issues and concerns that were identified in the pre-assessment. Our goal is to move the current fishery towards a sustainable viable full scale commercial fishery that will benefit the people and communities that depend on it to thrive.

The gear types included in this FIP are: gillnet, longline, (also known as line-trawl) and hook and line (also known as hand-line).    

FIPプロフィールレポート

Northern Cod, located off Labrador and the island of Newfoundland (NAFO Divisions 2J3KL), supported commercial fisheries for over 500 years. Excessive fishing combined with ecosystem change led to the collapse of cod. After many years of little to no recovery, the biomass of Northern Cod increased from 10,000 t in 1995 to close to 400,000 t of spawning stock biomass in recent years. Although, the spawning stock biomass is no longer in the critical zone, the building blocks for continued growth and a sustainable fishery must be laid as the stock is rebuilding. 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
December 01, 2016
7% 14% 79%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
May 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2025
Additional Impacts:
EcosystemRoundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union/UNIFOR
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Erin Carruthers
Email 
ecarruthers@ffaw.ca
Phone 
7095767276
Website Name 
http://ffaw.ca
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
2626

Overview

Note: This FIP went inactive on December 3, 2018.

The New England whiting fishery is a small mesh trawl fishery. The FIP will help to reduce bycatch of flatfish, haddock and cod. 

The whiting stock has recovered from overfishing and currently has a low probability of overfishing.  Silver Dollar Seafood and others support progress on Amendment 22 (A22) to the Small-mesh Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which is meant to establish the whiting fishery as a limited access fishery.  It will put a cap on the number of participants in the fishery and is being taken up as a way to reduce bycatch, make the fishery more easily manageable, and reduce the future risk of overfishing.

The fishery is managed and assessed in context of multispecies and multi-gear fisheries targeting silver hake and uncertainties and challenges facing the stock assessment have been considered (Helser and Alavade 2012).  Corrective management measures are initiated through annual quota limitations in U.S. waters.  Boats can fish for whiting with small mesh (3"), but smaller mesh is penalized with much smaller catch limits.  Use of larger mesh gear is encouraged so juveniles can escape. The FIP will promote bycatch reduction measures and encourage incentives (higher trip limits, permission to fish in the northern area) for vessels using larger mesh sizes to improve selectivity.

Note: This FIP went inactive on December 3, 2018.

The New England whiting fishery is a small mesh trawl fishery. The FIP will help to reduce bycatch of flatfish, haddock and cod. 

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Silver Dollar Seafood
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Dan Farnham
Email 
Silverdollarseafood@gmail.com
Phone 
6313742796
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
1321

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