Certification

Icelandic Cod Fisheries Certified

Icelandic Cod

THE IMPORTANCE OF CERTIFICATION

The certification of Iceland's cod fisheries is an important and historic milestone for the Icelandic seafood industry. It confirms that the cod fisheries meet the highest international requirements on sustainable use of marine resources. This approach provides third-party verification of responsible management for Icelandic cod fisheries. It also provides an internal benchmark for the management authorities and fishermen of Iceland to rate performance and track improvements.

Date of certification

10 December 2010

Unit of certification

Icelandic cod (Gadus morhua) within 200 mile EEZ fished by all Icelandic registered vessels using all gear types directly and indirectly under the management of the Icelandic Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.

Expiry date

10 December 2015

Certificate holder / Applicant group

The Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners (LÍÚ) – www.liu.is

The Federation of Icelandic Fish Processing Plants (SF) – www.sf.is

The National Association of Small Boat Owners, Iceland (NASBO) – www.smabatar.is

Fisheries Association of Iceland (Facilitator)

assessment and certification report

The assessment was conducted according to the Global Trust procedures for FAO–Based Responsible Fisheries Management Certification using the Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Management Specification (Version 1, September 2010) as ‘the checklist‘  to perform the assessment.

The assessment was conducted by a team of Global Trust appointed Assessors comprising of two external contracted fishery consultants and two Global Trust internal assessment staff.  The report was also peer reviewed by two external assessors who were separate to both the assessment team and Global Trust.  Finally, the report was evaluated by a Global Trust appointed certification committee made up of both internal Global Trust management and externally appointed experts. The certification committee was independent from both the assessment team and the peer review process.

Download the Certification report (pdf, 211 pages, 4.789kb)

Key outcome of the assessment

Summary of Outcome of the Assessment:

Fisheries Management System
There is a structured fisheries management system adopted within Iceland for the management of ground fish species including cod.  The system considers key management functions such as; control on access to fishing (permit system), control on total annual harvest (ITQ system), coordinated research using both fishery dependent and independent data, harvest measures that are designed to deliver the management plan objectives, an effective monitoring and control system and assessment and management of the effects of fishing on target, non target stocks and the ecosystem.  
There is an established Fisheries Management Plan for Icelandic cod. The Plan is documented and available on the Icelandic Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture website and has been externally evaluated.
All commercial fishing operations are subject to a permit from the Directorate of Fisheries. The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture issues regulations for commercial fishing for each fishing year, including an allocation of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) from each of the stocks subject to such limitations.
Allocation of quota is based on an Individual Transferable Quota system for each vessel (or group of vessels as is with part of the small boat fleet). The Directorate of Fisheries issues annual catch quotas (kgs) to individual vessels as a share in the total allowable catch (TAC) which the Minister of Fisheries sets every year for each species.  The annual catch quota is based on the individual vessels quota share (%). All major commercial stocks are now subject to quotas (25 species) and they represent approx. 95-97% of the total annual catch value.
Fisheries Research
There is effective data collection/compilation for successful execution of stock assessment for stock management purposes.  These are adequate to ensure that sufficient internal expertise and external expert consultation is present within the system to ensure the integrity of scientific assessment for fishery stock management purposes and that it continues to be scrutinised, challenged and improved.
The Icelandic cod stock is not considered to be overfished to a level causing recruitment overfishing.  Nor is it considered that overfishing is occurring. Stock is estimated to be above the target reference point (SSB Trigger of 220,000 t) for more than 3 years (ICES Advice 2010, Book 2 p9) and SSB is currently estimated at 300,000 tonnes in the latest assessment (2010).
Monitoring and Control Systems
There is an established legal framework, with regulations and rules that give powers to the Ministry, the Directorate, the Coast Guard and the MRI.   The Directorate undertakes the day to day operational implementation of fishery regulations and has powers to collect levies, monitor, inspect, report and gather evidence for prosecution purposes where violations are expected.  
The Marine Research Institute (MRI) has specific powers for the closure of areas and undertakes a programme for monitoring and research into the changes in physical parameters within the waters of Iceland as the basis of understanding the effects of these changes on the productive fisheries in Iceland.  The MRI is also developing expertise and understanding of the ecosystems approach to fisheries management.  Direct and indirect impacts of fisheries are assessed and effectively addressed through conservation measures.

Total allowable catch

The total allowable catch for current quota year, 2011-2012 is 177,000 tonnes. Quota status (total) within Icelandic EEZ can be obtained on the website of the Directorate of Fisheries  and the main species are listed here on our web.

Total landed catch of cod from Icelandic waters in the calendar year 2010 was 178,603 tonnes.

Summary in English from The Marine Research Institute (English summary of the State of Marine Stocks in Icelandic waters 2010/2011 – Prospects for the Quota Year 2011/2012) is available here.

Exports

Cod has been for years the single most valuable species in exports of seafood from Iceland, accounting for 36.3% of total export value  of seafood in 2009. Cod is exported mainly as salted (bacalao), frozen, fresh fillets and whole fresh. The total value of exports of cod in 2009 was EUR 219 million. Main market areas are Europe; and USA with UK being the single most important market, followed by Spain, Netherlands and Portugal.

Links for further information