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Haddock

(Bottom Trawl from Canadian Atlantic)

Rating:
Haddock populations in Canada are showing signs of recovery from past overfishing. There are concerns about variable population sizes and bycatch when caught with longlines and bottom trawls, and bottom trawls also cause considerable damage to the seafloor. For these reasons, haddock from Canada is a "Good Alternative."

The Canadian Atlantic haddock fishery is certified as sustainable to the standard of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) .

Market Names:
Scrod

Consumer Notes:
Haddock is occasionally called "scrod," although this common term can refer to juvenile cod as well.

Summary:
A bottom-dwelling fish, haddock is an important part of the Atlantic groundfish fishery. Haddock was overfished for years, but improved management ended overfishing. Stocks are no longer considered overfished - a significant improvement for the fishery. However concerns remain since populations continue to vary and are mostly composed of small, slow-growing individuals.

Haddock is caught using two types of gear - bottom trawls and bottom longlines. Both have environmental impacts. Bottom trawls cause considerable damage to seafloor habitats and both methods cause bycatch.

For these reasons haddock from the Canadian Atlantic caught with bottom longlines and bottom trawls is a "Good Alternative."

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