The Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG) was set up in 2008 following moves to take North Sea haddock and nephrops forward through the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) process.
The Group represents members from the catching, processing and marketing sectors of the Scottish seafood industry. It was formed, particularly in respect to the catching organisations involved, to cover as much of the Scottish fleet as possible involved in the fishing of North Sea haddock and nephrops. The group feels strongly that by taking this approach in extending the unit of certification to cover most of the active fleet; the benefits are greater and more readily accessible for the supply chain to utilise.
The group recognises that like many commercial fisheries across the world, those in Scotland have experienced increased pressure in the marketplace to demonstrate their responsible and sustainable operation. Sustainability through a transparent supply chain creates well informed consumers, which in turn has driven increased demand for sustainably sourced seafood. The primary reason for the formation of this group is in direct response to these demands and will help to maximise the benefit of MSC accreditation of these fisheries to the Scottish industry as a whole.
The Secretariat for the Group is run by Seafood Scotland, the main trade association for the Scottish seafood sector, which has significant demersal and shellfish representation on its board.