Ocean Disclosure Project

Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland

Since entering the market in Northern Ireland in 1999 and Ireland in 2000, Lidl has grown to 162 stores with three distribution centres employing 4,325 people in Ireland and 39 stores in Northern Ireland with one distribution centre, employing 881 people. As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. At Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland we are committed to responsible business principles and practices in order to ensure that our buying power drives positive change for producers, communities and the environment on the island of Ireland and further afield.

Number of fisheries	Number of certified fisheries	Number of fisheries in a FIP	Number of farmed sources	Number of certified farmed sources
Number of fisheries 12	Number of certified fisheries 10	Number of fisheries in a FIP 2	Number of farmed sources 7	Number of certified farmed sources 5
Production Methods Used Midwater trawl Bottom trawl Seine nets Pots and traps Farmed

Summary

Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland is committed to being a responsible retailer and upholding economic, social and environmental responsibilities in all of our daily activities. We recognise our role in protecting and preserving the world’s marine ecosystems and safeguarding fish stocks for the future. For this reason, we have developed a buying policy for our fish and seafood in conjunction with our suppliers and relevant national and international organisations, to support the principles of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices.

We are committed to the principles of responsible and sustainable fishing and farming by guaranteeing responsible product sourcing management and a traceable and transparent supply chain. Our principles of responsible fish and seafood sourcing will ensure that the fish sold within our product ranges are sourced from the healthiest stocks possible using the least destructive fishing methods possible, with high regard for both environmental and social standards, by relaying and supporting organisations such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and GLOBAL G.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices) Aquaculture and advocate for the sourcing of fish and seafood that have been responsibly fished and farmed.

We made the following commitments for the responsible sourcing of our permanently listed own-brand range of frozen, chilled, canned and convenience fish and seafood products:

Wild caught seafood:

100% of our wild caught fish must be sourced from MSC Certified fisheries or from Irish Fishery Improvement Projects (FIP)*

100% of our tuna must be sourced responsibly from MSC Certified Fisheries, or tuna sourced using either ‘pole and line’ fishing method or/and Fish Aggregation Devise (FAD)-free fishing practices.

Farmed seafood:

100% of our farmed fish must be sourced from an ASC, GLOBAL G.A.P. Aquaculture or Organic certified farm.

*We only accept FIP’s recognised by Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency, and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), which provides a publicly available online resource about the status of fisheries, fish stocks and aquaculture.

We have also recently joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), a global cross-sectoral alliance committed to driving solutions to the problem of lost, abandoned and otherwise discarded fishing gear (also known as “ghost gear”), which account for about 10% of plastic pollution in the sea.

To learn more about our commitment to sustainable fish and seafood, download our Sustainable Sourcing of Fish and Seafood Policy here.

This profile covers permanently listed wild-caught and farmed products negotiated in Ireland in 2018.

https://www.lidl.ie/ https://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/

Associated Fisheries

Species and Location	Production Methods	Certification or Improvement Project	Sustainability Ratings
Species and Location Alaska pollock Theragra chalcogramma Aleutian Islands, E Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska Fishery countries: United States	Production Methods Midwater trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended NOAA FSSI 4 NOAA FSSI 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 4
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have direct impacts on PET species. Bycatch for this fishery is considered low. This fishery is unlikely to have a significant impact on the sea bed. General Notes This fish plays an important role in the marine food web and so potential impacts on the wider marine ecosystem must be monitored.
Species and Location Alaska pollock Theragra chalcogramma Sea of Okhotsk Fishery countries: Russia	Production Methods Midwater trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have direct impacts on PET species. Bycatch for this fishery is considered low. This fishery is unlikely to have a significant impact on the sea bed. General Notes This fish plays an important role in the marine food web and so potential impacts on the wider marine ecosystem must be monitored.
Species and Location Atlantic cod Gadus morhua Barents Sea Fishery countries: Russia	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to impact PET species. There is bycatch for this fishery but non-target species are retained. Management measures are in place to reduce impacts on retained species. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. MSC conditions and recommendations are in place to strengthen understanding of fishery interactions with sensitive habitat. General Notes No additional notes.
Species and Location Atlantic cod Gadus morhua Barents Sea Fishery countries: Norway, Russia	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Not recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to impact PET species. There is bycatch for this fishery but non-target species are retained. Management measures are in place to reduce impacts on retained species. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. There are efforts in place to strengthen understanding of fishery interactions with sensitive habitat. General Notes No additional notes.
Species and Location Atlantic cod Gadus morhua Barents Sea Fishery countries: Norway, Russia	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to impact PET species. There is bycatch for this fishery but non-target species are retained. Management measures are in place to reduce impacts on retained species. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. There are efforts in place to strengthen understanding of fishery interactions with sensitive habitat. General Notes No additional notes.
Species and Location Atlantic cod Gadus morhua Icelandic Fishery countries: Iceland	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have direct impacts on PET species. There is bycatch for this fishery but non-target species are retained. Management measures are in place to reduce impacts on retained species. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. General Notes No additional notes.
Species and Location Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus NE Atlantic Fishery countries: Ireland	Production Methods Midwater trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes There are risks to PET species with this fishery, but there is insufficient data available to assess significance. Bycatch in this fishery is considered low. This fishery is unlikely to have a significant impact on the sea bed. General Notes The MSC certificate for this fishery was publicly suspended in March 2019 (after the reporting period for this profile) due to concerns regarding overfishing.
Species and Location Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Ireland Fishery countries: Ireland	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Not certified or in an AIP	Sustainability Ratings Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Salmon rely on wild capture fisheries for feed. Farmed salmon escapes and disease outbreaks may impact on wild salmonids. Impacts on water quality are localized, but there is potential for cumulative impacts in densely farmed areas. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by organic certification. References Good Fish Guide - Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed), Europe, Organic certification
Species and Location Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Norway Fishery countries: Norway	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Good Fish Guide Think 3 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Salmon rely on wild capture fisheries for feed, but responsible sourcing of inputs is encouraged for certified salmon. There are concerns about the impact of farmed salmon escapes and disease outbreaks on wild salmonids. In addition, concerns have been expressed about the impact on wild wrasse populations used as cleaner fish to control sea lice. Impacts on water quality are localized, but there is potential for cumulative impacts in densely farmed areas. Chemical inputs of pesticides used to control sea lice are of particular concern for farmed Norwegian salmon, but the use of non-chemical treatments for sea lice is increasing. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by certification. The Norwegian salmon industry has adopted a zonal approach to aquaculture management. References: Good Fish Guide - Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed) Seafood Watch report for farmed salmon, Norway FishSource - salmon, Norway
Species and Location Atlantic salmon Salmo salar United Kingdom Fishery countries: United Kingdom	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Good Fish Guide Think 3 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Salmon rely on wild capture fisheries for feed, but inputs often come from IFFO RS-certified sources. There are concerns about the impact of farmed salmon escapes and disease outbreaks on wild salmonids. In addition, concerns have been expressed about the impact on wild wrasse populations used as cleaner fish to control sea lice. Impacts on water quality are localized, but there is potential for cumulative impacts in densely farmed areas. Chemical inputs of pesticides used to control sea lice are of particular concern for farmed Scottish salmon. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by certification. The industry follows a zonal approach to aquaculture management with respect to planning, siting, licensing, and operation. References: Good Fish Guide - Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed), Europe, GlobalGap certification Seafood Watch report for farmed salmon, Scotland FishSource - salmon, United Kingdom
Species and Location Deep-water Cape hake Merluccius paradoxus South Africa Fishery countries: South Africa	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Ocean Wise Not recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes There are risks to seabirds with this fishery, but there are mitigation measures in place. An MSC condition is in place to gather information on fishery impacts on bird species. Bycatch is a risk for this fishery but there are mitigation measures in place. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. An MSC condition is in place to investigate options for protecting benthic habitats. General Notes No additional notes.
Species and Location Edible crab Cancer pagurus North East Atlantic Ocean Fishery countries: Ireland	Production Methods Pots and traps	Certification or Improvement Project FIP	Sustainability Ratings Sustainability not rated
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have significant impacts on PET species. However, there is insufficient information to accurately assess risk the risk of entanglement of PET species in pot ropes. Bycatch of lobster may be a risk for this fishery. This fishery is unlikely to have a significant impact on the sea bed. General Notes This fishery is part of the Irish brown crab - pot/trap FIP.
Species and Location European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax Turkey Fishery countries: Turkey	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Good Fish Guide Think 3 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Seabass require fishmeal and fishoil from marine feed sources in their diet. Concerns about the sustainability of feed inputs are relatively minor though they are not necessarily certified sustainable. Escapes are a concern and little is known about the risk of disease transfer to wild species. Impacts on water quality are localized and have not been shown to have cumulative impacts beyond the immediate farm site. Chemical inputs are only used for health management and are applied in a controlled manner. Reports indicate responsible use, but there is a lack of data on the quantity of chemical inputs. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by certification. References: Good Fish Guide - Bass, seabass (Farmed), Europe, Global GAP certified Seafood Watch report for farmed European sea bass and Gilthead sea bream, Mediterranean Sea
Species and Location Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus Southern Celtic Seas and English Channel Fishery countries: Ireland	Production Methods Bottom trawl Seine nets	Certification or Improvement Project FIP	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Needs Improvement FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have significant impacts on PET species. Sharks, skates and rays are caught in this fishery. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. General Notes As a mixed fishery, the effects of management measures on other species need to be considered within an ecosystem context. References SAI Global, October 2018, MSC Pre-Assessment For The Ireland Celtic Sea haddock and whiting trawl and seine fishery
Species and Location Rainbow Trout, Steelhead Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Ireland Fishery countries: Ireland	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Sustainability not rated
Environmental Notes Profile not yet complete. General Notes Environmental impacts will be addressed to some degree by certification.
Species and Location Saithe Pollachius virens Icelandic waters Fishery countries: Iceland	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes This fishery is unlikely to have significant impacts on PET species. Bycatch in this fishery is considered low. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed. General Notes As a mixed fishery, the effects of management measures on other species need to be considered within an ecosystem context. References Vottunarstofan Tún ehf., September 2014, MSC Public Certification Report for the ISF Iceland saithe fishery
Species and Location Shallow-water cape hake Merluccius capensis South Africa Fishery countries: South Africa	Production Methods Bottom trawl	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings FishSource Well Managed FishSource Well Managed Managed Needs Improvement Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Best Choice 2 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5 Ocean Wise Not recommended Ocean Wise Recommended Not recommended
Environmental Notes Previous concerns over interactions with seabirds have been mitigated using bird scaring lines and a reduction in fishing effort. However, information on seabird bycatch mortality is still limited. There is bycatch for this fishery but there is a strategy in place for managing retained species. The discard rate for the fishery is very low and the fishery is unlikely to hinder the recovery of discarded species. Bottom trawls will directly impact on the sea bed, however, this fishery is considered highly unlikely to have an irreversible impact on habitat structure and function. General Notes References Intertek, 2015, MSC Public Certification Report for South Africa Hake Trawl Fishery
Species and Location Whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei India Fishery countries: India	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Think 3 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Fishmeal and fish oil from marine feed sources are used. Certification criteria encourage the use of responsibly sourced marine products in feed Disease transfer between farmed and wild prawns is a concern but infrequent water exchange on whiteleg shrimp farms moderates the risk. Whiteleg shrimp are not native to India and there is potential for ecological impacts from escapes. Pollution from nutrients and organic matter, as well as chemical inputs, may affect local water quality. Waste discharge from whiteleg shrimp ponds is typically limited to once per production cycle. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by certification. The aquaculture industry is currently managed under a farm-based approach. References: Seafood Watch report for farmed shrimp, India FishSource - Shrimp, India Good Fish Guide - Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns, Global, ASC
Species and Location Whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei Vietnam Fishery countries: Vietnam	Production Methods Farmed	Certification or Improvement Project Certified	Sustainability Ratings Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Seafood Watch Eco-Certification Recommended Best Choice Good Alternative Avoid Good Fish Guide Think 3 Good Fish Guide Best Choice 1 Best Choice 2 Think 3 Think 4 Improver 5 Avoid 5
Environmental Notes Fishmeal and fish oil from marine feed sources are used. Certification criteria encourage the use of responsibly sourced marine products in feed. Disease transfer between farmed and wild prawns is a concern but infrequent water exchange on whiteleg shrimp farms moderates this risk. Whiteleg shrimp are not native to Vietnam and there is potential for ecological impacts from escapes. Pollution from nutrients and organic matter, as well as chemical inputs, may affect local water quality. Waste discharge from whiteleg shrimp ponds is typically limited to once per production cycle, moderating the impact of effluents on water quality. There is a lack of data on the quantity of chemical inputs, but evidence suggests that illegal antibiotics are sometimes used on Vietnamese shrimp farms. General Notes The environmental impacts described are addressed to some degree by certification. The aquaculture industry is currently managed under a farm-based approach References: Good Fish Guide - Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns, Global, ASC Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp, Farmed FishSource - Shrimp, Vietnam

Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland

Number of fisheries

Number of certified fisheries

Number of fisheries in a FIP

Number of farmed sources

Number of certified farmed sources

Number of fisheries

12

Number of certified fisheries

10

Number of fisheries in a FIP

2

Number of farmed sources

7

Number of certified farmed sources

5

Production Methods Used

Summary

Associated Fisheries

Species and Location

Production Methods

Certification or Improvement Project

Sustainability Ratings

Notes

Species and Location

Alaska pollock

Theragra chalcogramma

Aleutian Islands, E Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska

Fishery countries:

Production Methods

Certification or Improvement Project

Certified

Sustainability Ratings

FishSource

FishSource

Seafood Watch

Seafood Watch

Good Fish Guide

Good Fish Guide

Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise

NOAA FSSI

NOAA FSSI

Environmental Notes

General Notes

Species and Location

Alaska pollock

Theragra chalcogramma

Sea of Okhotsk

Fishery countries:

Production Methods

Certification or Improvement Project

Certified

Sustainability Ratings

FishSource

FishSource

Seafood Watch

Seafood Watch

Good Fish Guide

Good Fish Guide

Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise

Environmental Notes

General Notes

Species and Location

Atlantic cod

Gadus morhua

Barents Sea

Fishery countries:

Production Methods

Certification or Improvement Project

Certified

Sustainability Ratings

FishSource

FishSource

Seafood Watch

Seafood Watch

Good Fish Guide

Good Fish Guide

Environmental Notes