Salmon processors offer to pay full costs to rejoin MSC certificate

The Alaska salmon processors that in 2012 left the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate, but now seek to rejoin the program in advance of a banner harvest this summer, have offered to pick up the current client’s tab for assessments and audits to speed up the process.

Stefanie Moreland, director of government relations for Trident Seafoods in Seattle, told SeafoodSource that the processors are still awaiting a response.

“Last Thursday, the companies requesting to join the MSC Alaska salmon certificate decided to offer to pay for the full cost of the assessment and annual audits incurred to-date by the client groups [Purse Seine Vessel Owners’ Association] and [Alaska Salmon Processors Association] or their members in order to access the certificate,” she wrote in an email.

“The offer includes administrative expenses and would be contingent upon the client group extending the certificate to any other eligible fishery participants. This approach is intended to expedite negotiations since a negotiations over equitable distribution of costs is not necessary if new entrants are willing to absorb 100 percent.”

In the future, new entrants to the certificate would expect more equitable distribution of costs incurred to the client group, Moreland added. New members would not disrupt the structure of ASPA and are open to discussions of any mitigation measures the client group deems necessary.

In late April ASPA issued cost-sharing rules for entities wishing to join the MSC program and market Alaska salmon with the eco-label. The group stated that costs associated with the fishery assessment, surveillances and client management will be fractionally shared by the individual client group members in relation to the total round pounds of salmon harvested by client members in 2012. 

Those entering the client group after 10 April 2014, when ASPA assumed client responsibilities, shall pay the same proportionate share they would have incurred if they were members of the original certification client, the PSVOA. Retroactive payments shall be redistributed to the then existing client group members or retained by ASPA to fund future costs. Any changes to the composition of the client group membership shall be in accordance with the ASPA organizational documents.