Member’s Post ::

Once again Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification is coming under scrutiny.

MSC is thrust forward to be the “social conscience” for commercial fishing and its customers. The little blue MSC logo gives us the absolution, that when we buy a product with it printed on the packet, we have bought something sustainable.

In a recent “Times on Line” article, it is being suggested that MSC certification leaves a lot to be desired. The MSC scheme started 10 years ago with the aim of,

“It is intended to benefit fishermen by ensuring long-term sustainability of their livelihood and boosting the price of their catch.”

Well the second part has occurred if you compare the price at the supermarket with labelled and non-labelled product.

As to the first part, this is not so clear cut and the question which is now being asked is whether MSC is a bona fide, environmentally friendly group protecting fish stocks, or a high profile, glossy smoke screen, giving a convenient shelter to some commercial fisheries to hide behind, to maximise their profits at minimal cost?

A recent Times On Line article states,

“ New Zealand hoki was one of the first fisheries to be certified in 2001. Stocks promptly crashed and quotas were slashed from 250,000 tonnes to just 90,000 tonnes by 2007. “

“…. Alaskan pollock fishery is worth nearly $1 billion a year, but despite being rigorously managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service the stock’s assessments are controversial. Populations appear to have halved since 2004, and last year quotas were cut by nearly 20 per cent.”

These examples are not a glowing example of sustainable stocks success. The article goes on to suggest that MSC certification is perhaps too easy obtained from independent assessors despite overwhelming valid objections. Such as,

“….. the Pacific hake fishery was in the closing stages of certification earlier this year. The Monterey Bay Aquarium and Oceana, a marine conservation group, filed an objection, pointing out that the stock was at the lowest level ever observed, down nearly 90 per cent from the 1980s. The claim was dismissed.”

Related posts:

1. Alaskan Pollock