ASPA nixes Alaska salmon companies’ bid to rejoin MSC

The Alaska Seafood Processors Association (ASPA) has rejected an attempt by six Alaska-based salmon companies to rejoin the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification program, according to a letter posted in full on an industry media website.

The companies – Trident Seafoods, Peter Pan Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, North Pacific Seafoods and Alaska General/Leader Creek Fisheries – announced in April that after leaving the program in 2012 they wished to reapply, petitioning ASPA as the certificate holder.

But in a seven-page letter to Stefanie Moreland, director of government relations at Trident and the unofficial representative of the six companies’ bid to reapply, ASPA Executive Director Rob Zuanich said ASPA holds the certificate to promote a long-term commitment to the MSC. The applying companies, he said, haven’t demonstrated such a commitment.

“We do not believe it is presently consistent with ASPA’s above stated purposes to admit your group into the client group,” Zuanich wrote.

Moreland declined to share the full letter with SeafoodSource, and declined comment on ASPA's decision.