The At-Sea Processors Association and Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers announced on Wednesday that Alaska’s Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock fishery has received the go-ahead to retain the Marine Stewardship Council eco-label.
Moody Marine — the third-party certification body that, along with three independent fisheries experts, is reassessing the harvest as required under the MSC program every five years — reaffirmed that Alaska pollock is managed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. The recommendation was submitted for public comment on Wednesday.
The fishery was originally certified as sustainable in 2005 and has passed four annual audits since then. In February 2009, it began assessment for recertification.
“After an extensive review, an independent team of scientists has given the Alaska pollock fishery some of the highest average scores for any fishery in the MSC program,” said Jim Gilmore, director of public affairs for the At-Sea Processors Association, which serves as the MSC client. “The fishery remains a model for how fisheries around the world should be managed.”
