Shetland fishery scoops prestigious MSC award at London ceremony
A SMALL-scale inshore crab and scallop fishery in Shetland has been awarded a prestigious Ocean Leadership award by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation’s (SSMO) brown crab and scallop fishery picked up the award at a ceremony in London on Wednesday.
More than 150 leaders of the UK sustainable seafood industry and aquaculture sector gathered for the gala dinner at London’s Fishmongers’ Hall to celebrate the MSC and ASC UK Awards 2026.
Photo: Daniel Hambury/Stella Pictures Ltd.
SSMO inshore coordinator John Robertson paid tribute to what he called a “fabulous achievement”.
“I’m impressed that our small island fishery can make big waves in the MSC world,” he said.
“The award is a tribute to the solid, pioneering science support the SSMO gets from the shellfish scientists at University of the Highlands and Islands Shetland and which I depend on to get us through the rigorous assessments and audits required for MSC certification.”
Dr Beth Mouat from the UHI collected the award on the behalf of SSMO, and said she was “honoured” to be there.
The 100-strong day boat fishery lands 230 tonnes of crab and 1,000 tonnes of scallops annually, and impressed the judging panel with its proactive approach to ensuring a healthy long-term future for both MSC certified species and the marine environment in which they inhabit.
Judges praised their ability to respond to changes in the stock, as well as the establishment of harvest control measures, which were introduced to help stocks recover to sustainable levels.
MSC UK and Ireland senior fisheries outreach manager Lewis Tattersall said the SSMO fishery was “really going the extra mile”.
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“Through a compelling combination of science-based management, innovation, and agile decision-making, SSMO has shown how inshore shellfish fisheries can be managed sustainably.
“The Shetland fishery is an outstanding example of what a thriving, future-focused fishery looks like and it is great to see small-scale fisheries achieve such success with the MSC programme.”
Scottish salmon farmer MOWI also celebrated a double win, taking home the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) UK Farmer of the Year and Brand of the Year awards.
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