Halibut, Greenland
Reinhardtius hippoglossoides
Method of production — Caught at sea
Capture method — Gill or fixed net
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Arctic (Barents and Norwegian Sea)
Stock detail —
I and II
Sustainability rating
info
Sustainability overview
Greenland halibut is a relatively long-lived species which can only sustain low exploitation. The stock is currently in a relatively stable state.
Biology
This is an Arctic species which feeds in mid-water. Unlike most other flatfish, its ‘blind side’ is dark grey rather than white. Greenland halibut spawns in summer (April to June). It is a relatively slow-growing and long-lived species. Males become sexually mature when 7-8 years old and 55-65 cm long and females when 9-11 years old and 65-80 cm. They move into deeper water as they grow and can reach lengths of 120cm. Maximum reported age 30 years.
Stock information
Stock Area
North East Arctic (Barents and Norwegian Sea)
Stock information
Since 2001 ICES advice for this stock has been to reduce catches to rebuild the stock. Now there are signs that the regulations of the last two decades have improved it’s status. The fishable population has increased from 1992 to 2012, and has been stable since then, and the stock biomass currently assessed as having full reproductive capacity. The harvest rate has been relatively stable since 1992. Until recently only landings and survey trends of biomass and abundance were available for this stock. Agreement on an analytic assessment was anticipated for 2015 however no MSY reference points are currently available and ICES advice is based on the precautionary approach, which when applied means catches should be no more than 19, 800 (In 2015 15,000 t, the average catch for the last 10 years) tonnes in each of the years 2016 and 2017.
Management
From 2010 the ban against targeted fishery was lifted by the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission (JRNFC) and since then Greenland halibut has been fished in a directed fishery, and also as bycatch in the fishery for other demersal species. The fishery has been seasonally managed, with a quota system based on vessel size. Catch reporting is believed to be accurate, but catches are higher than agreed TAC (between 10% and 20% in the years 2011-2014).
Capture Information
Commercial fisheries for Greenland halibut comprise gillnet (12% ), demersal trawl (59%) and longline (28%)fisheries. Total catch in 2014 was 22 244 t.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally sustainable fish. For
full details, please see the full wild-capture methodology available here.
Stock or species status
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 0 |
Stock under fished and harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.25 |
Stock fully fished and harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.5 |
Stock level below sustainable level (BMSY) but harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.75 |
Stock and fishing level or stock at increased risk |
| 1 |
Stock outside biological and/or safe fishing limits |
Management
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 0 |
Well-managed |
| 0.25 |
Management requires some improvement |
| 0.5 |
Partly effective management |
| 0.75 |
Poorly managed and requires considerable improvement |
| 1 |
No relevant or effective management measures in place |
Capture method and ecological effects
| Score |
Impact |
| 0 |
Very low impact |
| 0.25 |
Low impact |
| 0.5 |
Some or moderate impact |
| 0.75 |
High impact |
| 1 |
Very high impact or illegal |
Where environmental concerns from any one criteria are so great, a ‘critical fail’ may be triggered and the fishery awarded a default red
rating. For full details, please see the full wild-capture methodology available here.
References
ICES Advice 2015, Book 3 http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2015/2015/ghl-arct.pdf
Many of the fish listed are caught in different ways and from
different areas of the sea. Some species are caught in a variety
of ways and this range shows that, within a species, some may be
fished sustainably whilst others unsustainably.
To find out the individual ratings for each fish click on the
ratings button next to the image.
'Best choices' are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
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This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
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If you are interested in the sustainability of this seafood source, please let us know by emailing
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Rating 1 (light green) is associated with the most
sustainably produced seafood.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
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Rating 2 (pale green) is still a good choice, although some
aspects of its production or management could be improved
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 3 (yellow) based on available information; these
species should probably not be considered sustainable at
this time. Areas requiring improvement in the current
production may be significant. Eat only occasionally and
check www.goodfishguide.org for specific details.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 4 (orange) should not be considered sustainable, and
the fish is likely to have significant environmental issues
associated with its production. While it may be from a
deteriorating fishery, it may be one which has improved from
a 5 rating, and positive steps are being taken. However, MCS
would not usually recommend choosing this fish.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
'Red improver' ratings are assigned to seafood sources which have been assessed and rated 5 (red) due to significant environmental concerns
with one or more aspects of their management, capture or production, yet credible efforts to improve these issues have been agreed through a
Fisheries or Aquaculture Improvement Project – a FIP or an AIP - and work is underway. Such projects are normally publicly listed at
www.fisheryprogress.org. MCS wants to encourage environmental improvements in fisheries and fish farms, and so does not recommend avoiding
these sources, as we normally do for seafood rated 5 (red rated).
'Best choice' fish are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help businesses and consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 5 (red) is associated with fish to be avoided on the
basis that all or most of the criteria for sustainablilty
have not been met.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
