Atlantic Ocean blue shark and swordfish - surface longline (FIP-BLUES)

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Overview

The EU surface longline fleet has been concentrating efforts on the implementation of national and regional strategies for the conservation of their target species including measures such as minimizing incidental catches, collaborating with the scientific community, and finning bans.

In 2014, an MSC pre-assessment was conducted for all swordfish and blue shark stocks, and in 2016, the fishery was close to meeting the MSC standard for north and south Atlantic swordfish. Focus on improvements for all the fleet operations moved towards promoting the creation of a FIP for all swordfish (Xiphias gladius ) and blue shark (Prionace glauca ) stocks for the North and South Atlantic Ocean, the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

The industry community recently created the ANECTEAM association to work together with the EU surface longline fleet. ANECTEAM is focused on getting visibility and recognition from the consumers, raising public and environmental NGO opinions about efforts to boost sustainability, encouraging distribution chains to purchase the fishery's products, and increasing recognition at the international level of a sustainable industry and fleet that is allowed to trade in fins and shark meat. This FIP represents 4 shipowners' associations (90 % catches EU fleet), 14 supply chain companies (80 % UE), and 160 fishing vessels (95% of EU fishing vessels in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans).

Due to their migratory nature and extensive distribution throughout several oceans, the management of swordfish and blue shark is carried out internationally by RFMOs (ICCAT, IOTC, IATTC, and WCPFC) through a system of catch totals (TAC)

Based on the MSC pre-assessment for the North and South Atlantic Spanish longline fishery in 2014 and a MSC full assessment in 2016 for swordfish, previously conducted, the scoring was updated in 2019 following the last MSC standard 2018; new scoring was also carried out for blue shark according to last ICCAT assessment for BSH conducted in 2015 -edited in 2017- and mako shark for Principe 2 in 2017 (see full information in the Scoping Doc). A number of Performance Indicators (Pis) were scored so that the fishery would fail under a full MSC assessment (SG <60) and required conditions for other PIs (SG 60-79). The general objective is to increase the PIs (scored <60 or 60-79) to SG>80.

The FIP Blues has been originally designed to be implemented in three oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian. The present FIP will start by implementing the actions in the Atlantic ocean since the full MSC Assesment was focused on these fisheries, both north and south stocks. At the same time, in the subsequent years after the beginning of the tasks for the Atlantic, we will develop the Work Plan Action for the other oceans´ swordfish and blue shark fisheries.

FIP Description 

The EU surface longline fleet has been concentrating efforts on the implementation of national and regional strategies for the conservation of their target species including measures such as minimizing incidental catches, collaborating with the sc

FIP Objective(s) 

To address all of the fishery’s environmental challenges necessary to achieve a level of performance consistent with an unconditional pass of the Marine Stewardship Council Fisheries Standard for target species blue shark (Prionace glauca) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in Atlantic Ocean (North and South stocks) by December 2024

 

FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
October 2019
December 2024
Next Progress Report Due 
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Species 
Common Name 
Swordfish
Scientific Name
Xiphias gladius
Common Name 
Blue Shark
Scientific Name
Prionace glauca
Gear Type 
Longline
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 21 (Atlantic, Northwest)
Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)
Area 31 (Atlantic, Western Central)
Area 34 (Atlantic, Eastern Central)
Area 41 (Atlantic, Southwest)
Area 47 (Atlantic, Southeast)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
European Union
Geographic Scope 
Specific areas
Country 
Cabo Verde
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country 
Mauritania
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country 
Guinea-Bissau
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country 
Côte d'Ivoire
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country 
Sao Tome and Principe
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country 
Liberia
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally, very occasionally
Country 
Senegal
Geographic Scope 
Limited spatially and temporally
Country Flag of Vessel 
Spain
Regional Fisheries Management Organization
ICCAT
High Seas Name 
Atlantic Ocean
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
33,651 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
81,620 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2021
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2019
7% 32% 61%
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.
Nov 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityEcosystemOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
ANECTEAM (Asociación Nacional de Empresas Comercializadoras y Transformadores de Especies Altamente Migratorias)
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Emilio Martínez
Phone 
+34 986 243 480
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.
11890