Expert opinion on the SSMO's stock assessment methodology
UHI Shetland shellfish scientists at sea on scallop stock assessment duties. Photo copyright David Loftus/MSC
The Shetland scallop and brown crab fisheries are certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). As part of the rigorous accreditation process the SSMO's annual stock assessments are subject to peer review by independent expert scientists.
The reviews were carried out in 2020 by Dr Michael Bell of Heriot-Watt University and by Oliver Tully and Guillermo Martin of the Marine Institute in Ireland. Here is a summary of the peer review findings.