Halibut, Atlantic (Farmed)
Hippoglossus hippoglossus
Method of production — Farmed
Production country — UK
Production method — Onshore open circuit system
Sustainability rating
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Sustainability overview
Atlantic halibut is widely farmed although in small quantities compared to other species. Unlike salmon and cod, halibut can be farmed in closed tanks as well as in open pens. Choose halibut farmed in closed, shore based production systems such as those used in Scotland, as environmental impacts of production are mitigated. Halibut do have a large dependency on fish to form the majority of their diet, and the fish required to make their feed cannot be assured to come from a sustainable supply. Scottish production is independently addressing this feed concern making it a good choice.
Feed Resources
Criterion Score: 2
Atlantic halibut is a fed species, using a diet comprising of marine and vegetable proteins and oils in a commercial pellet. As the feed used in UK production is certified organic it utilises fish trimmings rather than whole fish and the vegetable component is organically certified, as a result the overall feed sustainability is good for this species.
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Environmental Impacts
Criterion Score: 5
?This land based marine flow- through production method for this species requires no freshwater use and no seabed impacts from its construction. Being contained it also prevents escapes and interactions with surrounding habitats and species caused by waste, pollutants and disease transfer, which can be seen in open water systems. Predators are also excluded from this system.
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Fish Health and Welfare
Criterion Score: 1
Practices are in place to ensure high levels of animal welfare including slaughter
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Management
Criterion Score: 2
Regulations are in place for issues of environmental concern such as discharges, chemical, land and water use and these are assessed as being effective. There is no independent certification for this species in this production system.
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Production method
Onshore open circuit system
The production of fish using onshore-based, controlled seawater flow-through systems addressed the issues of environmental concern that can arise from open water production as interaction, and therefore impact, on the environment is prevented.
Biology
Atlantic halibut, the largest of all flat fishes, is a thick-set, right-eyed (both eyes on the right-hand side of the body) flat fish in the family Pleuronectidae. It is distributed throughout the north Atlantic, particularly Norway, Faroes, Iceland and southern Greenland, but occurs as far south as Maine in north America and the Bay of Biscay in Europe. It can attain a length of 4.7m and more than 300kg, but it is considered slow growing in the wild. Spawning occurs during winter and early spring. Atlantic halibut become sexually mature at 10-14 years, at around 1.4m in length. The oldest recorded halibut has been 55years of age yet models indicate that they could live for nearly 100years! It has been a heavily targeted fishery for more than 100 years and with slow growth rates, high age at maturity and a population doubling time of around 14 years, is highly susceptible to overfishing. IUCN list Atlantic halibut as Endangered (1996) and the species appears on the US National Marine Fisheries Service list of species of concern. Additionally the Project Inshore Phase II Report (2013) noted that under the MSC Risk Based Framework, the species was ranked as the 6th most susceptible species, behind some sharks and rays.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help businesses and consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish. For full details, please see the full farmed seafood methodology available
here.
Feed Resources
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 5 |
No feed inputs required. |
| -5 to 4 |
Feed inputs required. Scored according to traceability, sourcing and ingredients. |
| -6 |
Unsustainable, untraceable feed with a high fish feed dependency. |
Environmental Impact
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 8 |
All environmental impacts are mitigated by technology, production method and/or management practices. |
| -16 to 7 |
Environmental impacts are only partially mitigated for. |
| -17 |
High environmental impacts across all criteria. |
Fish Welfare
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 1 |
High welfare and slaughter standards. |
| 0 |
Either welfare or slaughter standards applied, not both. |
| -1 |
No standards for welfare or slaughter. |
Management
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 6 |
Good regulations and management practices, certified product to independent audited standards. |
| -5 to 5 |
Regulation and management is only partially effective and/or not comprehensive. |
| -6 |
Poor regulation, enforcement, management practices and uncertified product. |
For farmed seafood assessments, a 'critical fail' may be triggered and produce a default red rating where juveniles or broodstock are
sourced from wild capture fisheries that are rated 5, red rated, on the Good Fish Guide. For full details, please see the full farmed
seafood methodology available here.
References
The Fish Site. 2015 A Quick Guide to Farming Halibut Fish. Available online at https://thefishsite.com/articles/a-quick-guide-to-farming-halibut-fish (Accessed on 19/07/2018)
Gigha halibut. Sustainability. Available online at https://www.gighahalibut.co.uk/gigha-halibut/. Accessed on (18/07/2018)
Alistair Barge. Personal Communication. 07/08/2018
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 710/2009. Detailed rules on organic aquaculture animal and seaweed production. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32009R0710&from=EN (Accessed on 18/07/2018
Aller Aqua. Species. Available online at http://www.aller-aqua.com/species/cold-saltwater-species/halibut/3-mm Accessed on 01/08/2018
Biomar. 2018. Organic feeds. Available at http://www.biomar.com/en/uk/products--species/salmon/grower-feed/
The sustainability of fish can vary significantly depending on how and where it has been caught or farmed. Many single species are caught or farmed in a variety of ways and this range shows that, within a species, some sources may be more sustainable than others.
To find out specific ratings, click on the 'Show options for this fish' button under the image of the fish.
'Best choices' are rated 1 and 2 (green), 'Fish to Avoid' are rated 5 (red). Ratings 3 and 4 mean 'Think' (yellow and amber), as there are better rated alternatives.
Fish that are under review are shown with a question mark icon and no rating.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help consumers and businesses choose the most environmentally sustainable fish.
Seafood sources indicated as, 'To be assessed', are those that have not yet been assessed and assigned a rating or are undergoing a period
of review. These include sources previously rated by MCS for which the rating has lapsed, due to changes in the market or MCS priorities and
resources. Given that these sources are not fully assessed, the profile should not be used to infer the current sustainability of the
fishery or farmed species.
If you are interested in the sustainability of this seafood source, please let us know by emailing
ratings@mcsuk.org
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
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
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.
