Several small, colourful fishing boats in Folkestone Harbour, with blue skies and the sun shining in the sky.

Upcoming ratings changes

We're currently reviewing ratings for the upcoming October 2026 ratings launch, and there are some important updates underway.

Not all ratings under review are listed below, but we're highlighting some of the major species and areas in scope before the consultation.

Species ratings updates

Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)

  • Northern Shelf (Subarea 4, divisions 6.a and 7.d, and Subdivision 20: North Sea, West of Scotland, eastern English Channel, and Skagerrak)
    • Northwestern substock
    • Viking substock
    • Southern substock
  • Faroe Plateau (Subdivision 5.b.1)

Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Faroes Grounds (Division 5.b)

Coley or saithe (Pollachius virens) - Faroes Grounds (Division 5.b)

Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Celtic Seas (southern), English Channel (west) (Divisions 7.b–c and 7.e–k)

Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) - Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters (Subareas 1–8 and 14, and in Division 9.a)

Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Indian Ocean

Sturgeon (Acipenser, Huso spp.) - Northeast Atlantic

Red Gurnards (Chelidonichthys cuculus) - Northeast Atlantic (Subareas 3–8)

Scampi or langoustine (Nephrops norvegicus)

  • Labadie, Jones and Cockburn (Division 7.g and 7.h, Functional Unit 20-21)
  • Irish Sea West (Division 7.a, Functional Unit 15)
  • Porcupine Bank (Divisions 7.b–c and 7.j–k, Functional Unit 16)
  • Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne Head (Division 7.b, Functional Unit 17)
  • Ireland SW and SE coast (Divisions 7.a, 7.g, and 7.j, Functional Unit 19)
  • Farne Deeps (Division 4.b, Functional Unit 6)
  • Firth of Clyde and Sound of Jura (Division 6.a, Functional Unit 13)

King Prawn (Litopenaeus vannamei) - Europe, UK, England (RAS Systems)

Black Bream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) – English Channel (7d, 7e)

Dab (Limanda limanda) - North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat (4, 3a)

Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) - North Sea, Skagerrak (4, 3a.20)

Velvet Swimming Crab (Necora puber)

  • Scotland (Shetland) (4a)
  • Scotland (6a, 4b, 4a)
  • England, Wales and Isle of Man (4b, 4c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7a, 7g)
  • Northern Ireland (7a, 6b)

Brown Crab (Cancer pagurus)

  • Northern Ireland (7a, 6b)
  • Isle of Man (7a)

Spider Crab (Maja squinado) – UK (4, 6, 7)

European Lobster (Homarus gammarus)

  • Northern Ireland (7a, 6b)
  • Isle of Man (7a)

Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

  • Northeast Atlantic (All Areas)
  • Norway (2)

Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) - Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters (Subareas 1–9, 12, and 1)

Chilean Mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) (- FAO 87: Pacific, Southeast (MSC-certified)

Chub Mackerel (Scomber japonicus)

  • FAO 61 - Pacific, Northwest (Japan)
  • FAO 61 - Pacific, Northwest (China)