Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association

Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association SPFA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of the Scottish pelagic fishing fleet

SPFA takes its sustainability responsibilities seriously and is a member of the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group which has driven forward a number of sustainability and responsible fishing initiatives since it was established in 2007. These include MSC Certification of four fisheries; North Sea herring, Western mackerel, Atlanto Scandian herring, and West of Scotland herring. Scottish pelagic

fishermen are amongst the most heavily regulated in Europe, working under the full spectrum of controls which include quota allocations, designated landing ports, restrictive licensing, closed areas and satellite monitoring. The Association works closely with the Scottish and UK governments and the European Commission to represent members’ interests and ensure that they are able to participate equitably in international fisheries. Through its connections with organisations such as the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), North East Fishermen’s Training Association (NEFTA), Shetland Fisheries Training Association (SFTA) and Seafood Scotland the Association ensures there remains strong emphasis on safety at sea, fishermen’s training and catch quality. The Pelagic Regional Advisory Committee was formed in 2005 to give advice on the management of pelagic fisheries to the European Commission and the SPFA holds a seat on its executive committee.

Ideas and feedback from skippers and crew have been used to co-develop simple and efficient sampling protocols and data ...
16/06/2026

Ideas and feedback from skippers and crew have been used to co-develop simple and efficient sampling protocols and data collection tools, which includes a robust keypad for inputting data at sea, and direct uploading of data to cloud storage while at sea

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

The iconic North Sea herring fishery is celebrating 20 years of certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) St...
15/06/2026

The iconic North Sea herring fishery is celebrating 20 years of certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard for sustainable fishing – and this brilliant film has been produced to mark the occasion Small but Mighty - North Sea herring

The film features North Sea herring fishermen, processors and partn...

The data collected during sampling by Scottish pelagic fishermen provide valuable biological information for each of the...
15/06/2026

The data collected during sampling by Scottish pelagic fishermen provide valuable biological information for each of the targeted species, highlighting patterns and changes in distribution and size of fish in the catch.

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

The Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme (SPISDCP) has progressed significantly since the initial...
12/06/2026

The Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme (SPISDCP) has progressed significantly since the initial feasibility study in 2018, which has now led to data being used in the scientific assessment process of mackerel, herring and blue whiting

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

Up-to-date data is crucial if fish stocks are to be managed sustainably, which in turn requires collaboration between fi...
11/06/2026

Up-to-date data is crucial if fish stocks are to be managed sustainably, which in turn requires collaboration between fisheries scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to develop adaptive management approaches

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

The Scottish pelagic sector engages in several research initiatives, including being part of MSPACE - an integrated, mul...
09/06/2026

The Scottish pelagic sector engages in several research initiatives, including being part of MSPACE - an integrated, multidisciplinary project that aims to aid in designing and implementing economically viable and socially acceptable climate-smart marine spatial plans

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

The Scottish pelagic catching and processing sectors are committed to sustainability and work closely with Government an...
08/06/2026

The Scottish pelagic catching and processing sectors are committed to sustainability and work closely with Government and scientists in data collection schemes to ensure there is good knowledge about the condition of stocks

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

Scotland's pelagic fishermen are rightfully proud of the low carbon footprint, climate-smart food they put on our plates...
05/06/2026

Scotland's pelagic fishermen are rightfully proud of the low carbon footprint, climate-smart food they put on our plates. Adopting latest vessel designs and catching technologies means the Scottish fleet is already making important contributions to achieving targets for Net Zero

https://scottishpelagic.co.uk/

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1 Frithside Street
Fraserburgh
AB439AR

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