A number of Alaska salmon producers who made headlines in 2012 when they withdrew from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) have announced they are coming back amid predictions of record sockeye and pink salmon forecasts.
Trident Seafoods issued a press release on behalf of the producers, saying the group would be joining via the Alaska Salmon Processors Association, which holds the MSC certificate for wild Alaska salmon as the fishery client.
“This decision is based on the recognition that both the salmon market and sustainability landscape have changed in recent years,” said Stefanie Moreland, director of government relations and seafood sustainability at Trident.
In addition to Trident, the group rejoining the MSC also includes Alaska General Seafoods; Icicle Seafoods; Kwikpak Fisheries; Leader Creek Fisheries; North Pacific Seafoods; Ocean Beauty; Peter Pan Seafoods; Triad Fisheries; Trident Seafoods and Yukon Gold. The group has also requested that any other interested Alaska salmon producer also be given the opportunity to join under the same cost-sharing agreement as the new members.
"MSC is happy to learn of these companies' desire to rejoin the group of MSC certified Alaska salmon processors,” said Geoff Bolan, U.S. program director for the MSC. “Many of these companies have been involved in the MSC program for a long time as chain of custody certificate holders and participants in MSC certified fisheries. The MSC has worked closely with the Alaska seafood industry for more than a decade and we look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership."
In 2012, most of Alaska’s salmon producers backed out of a relationship with the MSC, at the time citing a number of concerns about how the nonprofit administered its certification. In response, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) at the time created a Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) program based on standards set by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). At the time, ASMI promoted the RFM program as an alternative certification program to the MSC. In the Trident statement, Moreland noted Trident was also going to participate in the RFM program, citing “a growing market acceptance” for multiple certifications.
“The successful launch of Alaska’s RFM program in 2010 and its ongoing refinement was undoubtedly a major factor in this market shift, and we continue to pledge our full support for the RFM program and the Alaska brand,” Moreland said.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is predicting record salmon runs, particularly for Bristol Bay, with 2015 forecasts as much as 50 percent above normal. Barry Collier, president and CEO of Peter Pan Seafoods, said the expected higher supply mandates companies do all they can to reach out to broader markets.
“We project historic runs of wild Alaska salmon this year, and it is important that as many global retailers as possible have access to our abundant supply,” Collier said. “We recognize different markets have different preferences for certification, which is why we look forward to offering choice.”
