Otter Trawl

Overview

FIP partners Sea Delight, Deep Sea Atlantic, Caribbean Sea Foods, Marisa Fisheries, Omicron Seafood, and CeDePesca have committed to the sustainability of the Suriname corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries, and look forward to bringing about the necessary improvements in collaboration with other fishery stakeholders. 

Corvina (kandratiki, Cynoscion virescens) and acoupa weakfish (bang bang, Cynoscion acoupa) are between the most important commercial species of fish in Suriname and are fished by different fleets, including the artisanal driftnet fleet and the industrial trawling fleet.

In Suriname, the corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries occur entirely within the waters of Suriname's Exclusive Economic Zone.  The driftnet fishery is conducted by open and closed Guyana boats using gillnets that are not anchored to the bottom but float with the tide.  On the other hand, the trawling fishery is conducted by Florida type trawling boats using otter trawl nets.

There has been no formal identification of stocks for Cynoscion virescens and Cynoscion acoupa along their geographical distribution; however, it is expected that the stock's biomass moves across fishing grounds in the Brazil-Guianas shelf.  This would mean that the stocks are most probably shared between Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela (most probably along the Venezuelan Guayana region) and Brazil (most probably along the Brazilian Goiania region).  In 2019, a stock assessment (Willems, in press) was conducted for these species using data collected in Guyana and Suriname and a method appropriate for data-deficient situations.  The results indicate that both species are overexploited.  However, by improving management measures and fishery practices to keep fishing effort at appropriate levels in Suriname and by strengthening collaboration between countries in the region, the stocks could be rebuilt to their optimal level.

This FIP aims to solve those sustainability obstacles that were identified through an MSC Pre-Assessment conducted in July 2020, and FIP partners are keen to join efforts with other stakeholders in the supply chain to attain a certifiable status for the fisheries.

FIP partners Sea Delight, Deep Sea Atlantic, Caribbean Sea Foods, Marisa Fisheries, Omicron Seafood, and CeDePesca have committed to the sustainability of the Suriname corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries, and look forward to bringing about the necessary improvements in collaboration with other fishery stakeholders. 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2020
71% 18% 11%
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
Oct 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
CeDePesca
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Tomas Willems
Email 
tomas.willems@cedepesca.net
Website Name 
CeDePesca
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.
14453

Overview

This FIP has been established by the Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG; http://scottishfsag.org/), to support work to rebuild the North Sea cod stock, as well as to improve management of the North Sea whiting stock. SFSAG is an organisation of all the major Producer Organisations in Scotland (and some in England). It is an MSC certificate-holder for several demersal stocks around Scotland (see https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/sfsag-northern-demersal-stocks/@@view). North Sea cod and whiting are part of this mixed demersal fishery and are assessed under Principle 2 in that certification. As required, the conditions and action plan on these overlapping fisheries are folded into this FIP so that the FIP covers all MSC PIs for the cod and whiting stocks.

North Sea cod is a talismanic stock for Scottish fisheries. It was overfished in the 1980s and 1990s but management was improved, and from ~2005 onwards it appeared to be recovering. However, the most recent stock assessment suggested that recovery had stalled, and also exposed major problems with the assessment. Likewise, for North Sea whiting, the 2018 assessment suggested that stock status was worse than thought, as well as exposing problems with the previous (pre-benchmark) stock assessment.

The scope of the FIP is as follows:

  • Target stocks: North Sea cod (Gadus morhua) and North Sea whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
  • Fishing gears: All gears used by SFSAG members to target these stocks: i.e. demersal otter trawl (single and twin), Nephrops trawl (single and twin), Danish seine, pair trawl, pair trawl-seine
  • Fleet: All vessels belonging to SFSAG member organisations 

 

This FIP has been established by the Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG; http://scottishfsag.org/), to support work to rebuild the North Sea cod stock, as well as to improve management of the North Sea whiting stock. SFSAG is an organisation of all the major Producer Organisations in Scotland (and some in England).

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG)
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Jen Mouat
Email 
theaegirconsultancy@btinternet.com
Website Name 
SFSAG website
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.
13974

Overview

Reason for Inactivity: European plaice in the North Sea was successfully certified to the MSC Standard in 2018. The timeline for the North Sea lemon sole FIP came to an end in April 2023 and the final annual review indicated that no performance indicator would be expected to fail in an MSC assessment. However, there are still activities underway to ensure the lemon sole fishery demonstrates best practice against the MSC Standard. The main outstanding actions for the lemon sole FIP relate to the development of harvest strategy and harvest control rules. Lemon sole is managed through the North Sea Multi Annual Plan, as a bycatch species, and is currently fished using a joint Total Allowable Catch with witch. Defra are working with ICES to split the TAC and implement a single species TAC in 2024, which will progress the remaining Principle 1 actions.

Project UK is working towards an environmentally sustainable future for UK fisheries by running Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) on 12 UK fisheries that have been selected by the UK seafood supply chain. They were selected due to their importance for the UK market.

Project UK has been developed in response to the demand from the supply chain, retailers, industry and NGOs. The project will commission an MSC pre-assessment to inform and develop an action plan for each fishery, which will identify improvements.

Plaice and Lemon sole are demersal flatfish species generally living on sandy substrates but may also be found on mud and gravel and stony bottoms. They are shallow water species found from the near coast as juveniles down to around 200m in northern waters. Plaice are widely distributed on the continental shelf from the Bay of Biscay in the south through the English Channel, North Sea and Irish Sea to the Baltic, Iceland, the Norwegian coast and Barents Sea in the north.

TACs are set for the North Sea Plaice fishery.  Around 93% of this TAC was allocated to the EU. The UK share (initial allocation) accounts for around 26% of the total TAC.

TACs are set for the North Sea Lemon Sole fishery. In 2015 the TAC was 6,391 tonnes. 100% of this TAC was allocated to the EU. The UK share (initial allocation) accounts for around 61% of the total TAC.

The 3 Units of Assessment (Demersal Trawl, Beam Trawl and Seine) operate in different locations of the North Sea

Reason for Inactivity: European plaice in the North Sea was successfully certified to the MSC Standard in 2018. The timeline for the North Sea lemon sole FIP came to an end in April 2023 and the final annual review indicated that no performance indicator would be expected to fail in an MSC assessment. However, there are still activities underway to ensure the lemon sole fishery demonstrates best practice against the MSC Standard. The main outstanding actions for the lemon sole FIP relate to the development of harvest strategy and harvest control rules.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Facilitated by the Marine Stewarship Council
Organization Type 
Other
Primary Contact 
Jo Pollett
Email 
jo.pollett@msc.org
Website Name 
Project UK
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.
7730

Overview

Note: This FIP went inactive on April 30th, 2020.

UPDATE FOR MAY 2019: Research to support the rational management of threadfin bream along India's westcoast is now a federal priority and backed by a major thrust of research by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Demersal Fisheries Division. (Ref. http://www.cmfri.org.in/division/demersal-fisheries-division)

Launched in April 2017 and led by Gadre Marine Export PVT Ltd., this FIP is working to address challenges in the Japanese threadfin bream trawl fishery (Nemipterus japonicus) operating along the length of India's west coast where the stock is located. The project will advance the objectives to improve this fishery, and will focus on the rules and tools in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. Gadre Marine Export PVT Ltd. is a surimi processor purchasing threadfin bream from five coastal states in India. Gadre will host roundtables for the industry, fishing societies and regulators to meet, discuss, and set the objectives in motion. 

A preliminary assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council Standard was completed in May 2017.The pre-assessment included a comprehensive assessment of scientific literature, interviews with fishing boat owners, and consultations with scientists in the coastal states. The major finding was that trawler boat owners, as well as scientific institutions, are optimistic that the fishery can rebound to optimum levels if concrete steps are undertaken over a five-year period.

Overfishing is occurring on west coast threadfin bream according to the 2014 stock assessment which recommended a 20% reduction in fishing.  The major problem is overfishing on juveniles.  Fishery scientists and managers agree it is the major target.  There is a 61 day fishing ban during breeding season 1 June through 31 July every year.  To further reduce fishing impacts on juveniles, Kerala has extended the ban and Maharashtra has required use of square mesh in the cod-end of trawls.  The FIP supports the notion of a coastwide Winter closure to reduce fishing impacts on juveniles further.

Fundamentally, the area most needing improvement is the age of threadfin bream at capture.  This can be achieved with short- and long-term measures that include seasonal bans to avoid fishing when juveniles dominate the catch, enforcement of increased mesh size in the cod-end of trawl nets, and seizure of illegal gears at fishing ports; so that harvest rates drop to appropriate levels.

Note: This FIP went inactive on April 30th, 2020.

UPDATE FOR MAY 2019: Research to support the rational management of threadfin bream along India's westcoast is now a federal priority and backed by a major thrust of research by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Demersal Fisheries Division. (Ref. http://www.cmfri.org.in/division/demersal-fisheries-division)

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Gadre Marine
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Arjun Gadre
Email 
arjun.gadre@gadremarine.com
Website Name 
Gadre Marine Exports
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.
6111

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.

Explanation of Completion: This FIP was completed and entered MSC full assessment in September 2018 and was certified in August 2019.

Completion Link

The FIP profile provides information on the work that needs to be completed so the Guyana Atlantic seabob fishery can enter into MSC certification. PI 1 and PI 3 were addressed through work that was done between 2012 and 2016. Efforts are now being made to address the ecological and environmental concerns of the fishery so as meet the whole of the MSC Standard.

The main issue now identified which will form the basis for the research and work plans is to design and implement an improved programme of research to inform and update the information and scientific advice available to the SWG, with a particular focus on monitoring of bycatch, interactions with ETP, and habitat/ecosystem impacts of trawling (to be completed by third quarter 2018).

A research plan was already developed (2nd quarter 2017), and implementation has begun, with significant progress expected by 3rd quarter 2018.

The FIP profile provides information on the work that needs to be completed so the Guyana Atlantic seabob fishery can enter into MSC certification. PI 1 and PI 3 were addressed through work that was done between 2012 and 2016. Efforts are now being made to address the ecological and environmental concerns of the fishery so as meet the whole of the MSC Standard.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
May 01, 2012
37% 59% 4%
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 2020
Additional Impacts:
IUUEcosystem

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Guyana Association of Private Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Dawn Maison
Email 
d1075190@gmail.com
Phone 
592 6872641
Website Name 
Guyana Seabob Fishery
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.
3421

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: Jan 2023

Explanation of Completion: The FIP has entered into the MSC full assessment process.

Completion Link

In 2008, a FIP was announced for the Texas shrimp fishery led by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). 

A public work plan for the fishery was published in 2012 with the goals of 1) reducing bycatch through fine-tuning turtle excluder devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), and  2) evaluating NOAA's observer program coverage. Both of these actions are still ongoing within the Texas Shrimp FIP. Fine-tuning of TEDs has shown substantial success in helping industry reduce sea turtle bycatch, with NOAA reporting an increase in TED effectiveness from an average of approximately 89% in 2014 to over 95% in 2016 and 2017. SFP's Shrimp Supplier Roundtable continues to engage NOAA regarding observers on a regional level. 

In 2016, SFP handed over leadership of the FIP to the Audubon Nature Institute’s Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries Program (G.U.L.F.), a regional group that is able to work closely with industry members in Texas to further enhance the sustainability of the fishery. Initially, the second stage of the Texas Shrimp FIP started as a Basic FIP. However, based on participant needs, it transitioned into a Comprehensive FIP as outlined by the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions. 

In 2008, a FIP was announced for the Texas shrimp fishery led by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
June 01, 2016
14% 86%
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
Additional Impacts:
Roundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Audubon Nature Institute's Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries
Primary Contact 
John Fallon
Email 
jfallon@auduboninstitute.org
Phone 
504-762-9116
Website Name 
Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries
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.
2706

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: Jan 2023

Explanation of Completion: The FIP has entered into the MSC full assessment process.

Completion Link

The Florida Pink Shrimp FIP was established in 2011 by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Cox's Wholesale Seafood LLC.  The scope of the fishery targets the Pink Shrimp specie, although White and Brown Shrimp are also harvested in these waters but are considered primary retained species. Two gears are used; Skimmers (primarily in-shore waters) and Otter Trawls, which harvest the majority of the Pink shrimp specie.  All fleets fishing for Cox's Wholesale Seafood, LLC must be licensed and abide by all NMFS requirements for US based shrimp fleets.  The use of Turtle Excluder Devices and By-Catch Reduction Devices are mandatory for all fleets within the scope.  The fishery is  able to be assessed within the scope of the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing, as stated in the 2016 Pre-Assessment. 

The Florida Pink Shrimp FIP was established in 2011 by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Cox's Wholesale Seafood LLC.  The scope of the fishery targets the Pink Shrimp specie, although White and Brown Shrimp are also harvested in these waters but are considered primary retained species.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
January 01, 2010
3% 34% 62%
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
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityEcosystemRoundtableOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Cox's Wholesale Seafood
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Nancy Mathews
Email 
Nmathews@coxseafood.com
Phone 
(813) 888-9800
Website Name 
Cox's Wholesale Seafood
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.
209

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: Jan 2023

Explanation of Completion: The FIP has entered into the MSC full assessment process.

Completion Link

In 2010, a FIP was announced for the Louisiana shrimp fishery led by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). A public work plan for the fishery was finalized in November of 2012 with the goals of 1) creating a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the shrimp fishery management and monitoring in state waters, 2) releasing information on sea turtle interactions in state waters, 3) publishing information on state fishery management systems, and 4) releasing information on fishery enforcement including summarized compliance and enforcement data.  As of August 2015, all of these actions had been completed.

SFP handed leadership of the FIP to the Audubon Nature Institute’s Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries Program (G.U.L.F.), a regional group that is able to work closely with industry members in Louisiana to further enhance the sustainability of the fishery. Initially, the second stage of the Louisiana Shrimp FIP started as a Basic FIP. However, based on participant needs, it transitioned to a Comprehensive FIP as outlined by the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.

In 2010, a FIP was announced for the Louisiana shrimp fishery led by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP).

FIP at a Glance

View current status
June 01, 2016
7% 43% 50%
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
Additional Impacts:
RoundtableOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Audubon Nature Institute's Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
John Fallon
Email 
jfallon@auduboninstitute.org
Phone 
504-762-9116
Website Name 
Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries
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.
111

Overview

Note: This FIP went inactive on July 17, 2019.

Ocean perch (Acadian redfish) is harvested from the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, where it is mainly caught with otter trawls and occasionally hook and line gear.  Ocean perch are doing well in the New England area of the Atlantic Ocean, where estimates of abundance have been increasing in recent years. The stock was declared rebuilt in 2012.  

The fishery is unique within the multispecies groundfish complex for several reasons.  Vessel owners that elect to participate in sector-based management agree to additional controls, like weekly monitoring reports, to help catches stay within bounds during the fishing season.  Vessels are accountable for any groundfish bycatch, including juvenile groundfish.  To control for impacts across the species, all groundfish caught are counted against a vessel’s or sector’s allocation. Fishermen follow a number of strict regulations and use modified fishing gear to reduce bycatch of other species. For example, the mesh on trawl nets must be above a minimum size to reduce bycatch of juvenile redfish and non-target species. 

The Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) was launched in February 2014 and the first activity was to complete a preliminary assessment of the fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. Three gaps were identified. One was the need for better gear selectivity for redfish capture, and was addressed by the REDNET program from 2014-2016.  Two other gaps remain, concerning the distribution of juveniles and habitat in the region.  Deep sea corals are believed to provide juvenile habitat and NOAA completed a multi-year research project on deep sea corals in 2013.  The MSC pre-assessment was updated in early 2016 and new gaps will be addressed by the FIP in coming years.  

Note: This FIP went inactive on July 17, 2019.

Ocean perch (Acadian redfish) is harvested from the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, where it is mainly caught with otter trawls and occasionally hook and line gear.  Ocean perch are doing well in the New England area of the Atlantic Ocean, where estimates of abundance have been increasing in recent years. The stock was declared rebuilt in 2012.  

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Pier Fish
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Rich Barry
Email 
richb@pierfish.com
Website Name 
Pier Fish
Organization Name 
Sustainability Incubator
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Katrina Nakamura
Email 
katrina@sustainability-incubator.com
Website Name 
Sustainability Incubator
Organization Name 
Pier Fish
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Scott Bode
Email 
scottb@pierfish.com
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.
30
Subscribe to Otter Trawl