Sustainable fishing supporting global food security
October 2022
Sustainable fishing supporting global food security
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has published their most recent advice for various pelagic fish. The recommendation is a reduction in the total allowable catch (TAC) for the Herring fishery for next year to assure the sustainability of the stock, whilst Mackerel advice recommends a slight decrease on last year’s figures of -2%. The Blue Whiting stock has experienced significant recruitment and ICES recommend up to an 81% increase in available stock for 2023. The advice for Horse Mackerel catches is less optimistic with a zero TAC being recommended for the Western stock.
The ICES advice will now be considered with other factors to balance scientific recommendations with commercial viability to derive final TACs for 2023 to assure sustainable and responsible fishing practice. North Atlantic Fishing Company will adhere precisely to the final outputs to play our part in making the UK fishing industry one of the world’s best-managed and most regulated to safeguard fish stocks for future generations.
North Atlantic Fishing Company operates within the fisheries management measures that include scientifically derived Total Allowable Catches (TACs) that dictate the scale of individual species quota allocations.
Supporting global food supply
Although there has been a reduction in the total allowable catch, this helps to nurture the stocks while still providing essential protein for human consumption.
There 7.9 billion people in the world, by 2030 the UN expects this to reach 8.5 billion and by 2100 there will be 11 billion people on the planet. As the world population grows, so does the demand for affordable, high-protein food.
Increasing fish consumption among developing populations can add a nutritionally valuable component to their everyday diet. Pelagic fish are among the most cost-effective foods available they are also low in cholesterol, brimming with healthy long chain omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients like riboflavin, iron and calcium.
We cannot feed the world without fish, a high-protein food with a low environmental impact when resourced and managed responsibly. We will continue our work to deliver sustainably sourced pelagic fish to customers throughout the world.
A greener solution
All food production produces CO2 emissions, and the Government is urging food producers to minimise theirs on the road to UK net-zero by 2050.
Wild-caught pelagic fish has the lowest animal protein carbon footprint, requiring no artificial feeding or freshwater supplies, while pelagic trawling is relatively energy-efficient when compared with other fishing and food production techniques. Our vessels make longer and therefore fewer trips per year during which we minimise CO2 emissions through economical use of engines, the use of ‘clean’ marine fuels and investment in in latest freezing technology using low impact gasses.
On-board processing is highly efficient, meaning our vessels can be at sea longer than vessels that do not freeze their catch at sea. By staying on the fishing grounds for longer periods we optimise fuel usage during our trips and catch our quotas in a highly efficient manner.
Pelagic vessels have among the lowest bycatch levels of any other vessel – predicted to be less than 1%, our mid-water nets never touch the seabed so do not interfere with seabed habitats and the marine creatures that live there, while catches are always a single species from a single stock, making NAFC vessels amongst the world’s most ecologically friendly.
Regulatory compliance
The UK fishing industry is one of the world’s best-managed and most regulated to safeguard fish stocks for future generations. Scientific evidence informs and drives fisheries management decisions. North Atlantic Fishing Company operates precisely within the fisheries management measures that include scientifically derived Total Allowable Catches (TACs) that dictate the scale of individual species quota allocations.
We will continue to provide this highly nutritional food source to global markets and ensuring we are nurturing fish stocks and protecting the marine environment.
